


White Chocolate

by OneCoolCat



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon), The Proud Family
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Awkward Romance, Being Human - Freeform, Being Steven, Being a Gem, Dijonay is too touchy feely as always, F/M, Family Feels, Gem Powers, Jokes that may come off as offensive (this is the Proud Family we're talking about here), Slang, Slice of Life, Steven gets his street cred, Steven gets triggered here and there. Nothing too major though, Steven is awkward white boi, Teen Romance, Yeah. Our boy Steven gets a heavy dose of chocolate in this blackalicious ghetto fabulous show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:53:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 83,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25441195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneCoolCat/pseuds/OneCoolCat
Summary: After a few months out on the road to find himself and with things not exactly working out between he and Connie, a lonely Steven Universe downloads a Sofa Diving app and stumbles upon a family who's looking for someone to host. There, he sets off and heads for Wizville, CA, hoping that this time, he's found a place he would actually plan on living in.
Relationships: Dijonay Jones/ Sticky Webb, Oscar Proud/Trudy Proud, Steven Universe/ Dijonay Jones, Steven Universe/Penny Proud, Suga Momma/ Papi Boulevardez
Comments: 89
Kudos: 60





	1. Coming to Wizville

Steven readjusted his phone on the face of his steering wheel. The glare wasn't there anymore, but the angle of his face, he thought personally, was rather unflattering. Though he tried to ignore it. "How's that?" he asked and leaned back in his seat. 

"Steven. It was okay the _first_ four times you adjusted your phone." Connie said with a grin. 

"Sorry. I.. just wanted the angle to be perfect."

"I thought we were supposed to be moving away from 'trying to be flawless and ideal'." she joked lightly.

_I'm supposed to be flawless.. If I'm not perfect then.. who am I?_

White's voice echoed in his ears but he quickly curved his mind away from the tall diamond that was glowing pink above him. 

Usually that thought would linger, but he was slowly getting better at it.

Just slightly..

He sighed. "I am. really. But, I still find myself doing it unknowingly."

"Don't worry. It takes time." there was a reassuring smile on her face, but that only made him feel more guilty and a burden.

_'It takes time'.. but just how much 'time' is this going to take?_

Even five months of being on the road and seeing the States and meeting new people, he was still feeling like someone in space was watching him.. Whether it was just pesky Bluebird Azurite or someone else from one of the Diamonds' dismantled colonies or.. something else bigger and much stronger than him lurking amongst the stars of space. 

And day after day, nothing happened, say for the pink glow of his own self during his panic attacks.

But, he didn't want anyone to worry. He thought that a road trip would be good for him and all in all, it was. And he always slowly putting pieces of himself back together. 

He stretched his mouth out in a smile he hoped reached his eyes. "I know and I've definitely been getting better." he leaned closer to the phone's camera. Seeing himself at an even more unflattering angle. "So, how's cram school?" 

"Crammy." she scoffed. "Though not that I'm complaining." she quickly clarified. "The classes are definitely preparing me for college. Also, with the existence of Little Homeworld, my school is even planning on setting up a few extracurricular activities to teach us more about Gem culture." 

"Really?!"

"Yeah! Mayor Pizza is really into bringing more of the humans and Gems together. She even asked the Gems if they'd be willing to host some of them and they said yeah."

"That's great, Connie! I'm glad that Little Homeworld was able to pave that way for more human and Gem relationships."

"Yeah." she nodded. "But what about you?" 

"Huh? What about me?"

"Me- Well, also the Gems even though they don't want to admit it. They don't want to seem to clingy or that they're bothering you, but we've been wondering how you were doing? For the passed two weeks you'd been posting less and less pictures on your FaceSpace timeline and we haven't been able to talk to you."

"Oh.." he tried to not sound too dejected.

"We understand that you're out there doing your own thing and finding yourself, but.. we just want to make sure that you're okay too." she said gently. 

"Oh, heheh.. I've been okay Connie. Honest." 

She didn't look convinced. 

"Really. And if I really wasn't.. if something truly bad was going on, I would tell you. Remember Connie, I uh.. learned that the hard way when bottling up my feelings.." 

_..In the form of an eighty stories tall and powerful pink kaiju.._

"I haven't been posting pictures or doing much because..well.." he felt a touch of blush to his cheeks. Or he hoped it was blush and not him slowly getting worked up. He scratched the back of his head, feeling the sweat of his neck damp the back of his curls. "Honesty Connie I.." then he mumbled. "I guess I've been.. pretty lonely?" 

"Oh no, Steven.." she changed from laying on her side to sitting upright. "Are you starting to feel a bit homesick." then another thought came to her mind. "or.. it wasn't because of.." she started to look guilty. 

"No! No!" he held his hands up in a placating manner as he shook his head fervently. "No, it's not that. It really isn't. I'm.. happy for you." he said through his teeth. And this time he really did feel his self getting worked up and he could see the look of concern on Connie's face. Not to mention the bright pink boy in the upper corner of his phone. "Steven-" 

"Connie, I'm happy for you. Craig seems like a really, really nice guy. And, it wasn't like you and I didn't try. We did and, it just wasn't working out. But, you found someone who completes you and, because of that, I'm happy." he looked at himself in the top corner again. He was still pink. He looked back at Connie. "Don't look at me like that, you know stuff like this" he gestured at his pink, glowing skin. "happens when I start talking about.. certain things." 

"Certain things that's really eating at you." 

"Pleaaase, Connie. I'm- I'm fine, okay? So I haven't gotten completely over our break up and.. maybe I.. _am_ just a bit homesick and thinking about my dad.. and the Gems.. and.. everyone else in Beach City- BUT I'm still fine." 

Connie looked at him. The same look she'd given him since he first started with his outbursts. Like she was scared for him and, maybe looking down on him. Though the latter could just be in his mind. 

"I understand that you're getting better at this." she eventually whispered. "And the Gems, your dad and I are very happy and proud of you for how far you come since everything you've been through since day one. But you don't have to completely dismiss us from your life. We're still you're family and we want you to know that if you want to come back, even just for a break, then you can. And" she said truthfully. "if you need a bit of a break from talking to me, I will give you that space."

Tears were stinging his eyes. 

He thought he would've been passed this stage of crying. He thought he was over their breakup and not longing for his life with the Gems. But he missed them. All of them. And he wanted nothing more than to get a huge from all five of them and pet his buddy, Lion. 

"I know, Connie. And while I know that I can do that, that I'll be welcomed with opened arms, I just.. still don't think that that would be a good option for me. I need to start a brand new life. A place where I haven't made a name. Somewhere where I can start out fresh and not have people hate me because of my mom or praise me as some prince because I dismantled an empire. I don't want to be dragged under my mom's shadow and I don't want people doing the diamond salute. I.. just want to be me. A gem-human hybrid trying to live in this world like everyone else. That's it." he took a few calming breaths and he hopes that would lesson some of the pink. "And I don't necessarily _want_ us to not talk but.. maybe I do need to focus on other things and not.. stuff between you and I? Uh, n, not that I'm.. trying to be rude, I just-" 

"I get it, Steven." she smiled. "We need to widen the distance between us just a bit more. That's why I brought that up. I know my jam bud needs time for his self and I trust that you'll do that in a healthy way."

"Y, yeah. Right." his skin started to feel less hot. "And I'm still talking to my therapist as well, so I also have that going for me."

"Oh good. I was wondering if you were still talking things out." 

"Yeah. And the talks are getting a bit better, you know, to uh.. talk about." 

"I'm really happy to hear that. Steven, you really are making so much progress-" 

The sound of Connie's timer went off and she was seen looking off to her side to dismiss it.

"Looks like you have to go back to studying." 

She pressed the button and looked back up. "I.. unless you wanted to talk some more, I don't mind-"

"No, you need to focus on your schoolwork." he said sadly. "I shouldn't keep you from going to the best colleges in the States. Besides, the sun is going to be setting in a few hours and I still need to drive down to Los Angeles and find myself a motel." he tried to let out a chuckle, though it sounded forced. "Constantly sleeping in a car is not all what it's cracked up to be. Sometimes I just want a bed to sleep in to stretch out my legs."

"Wow, L.A. I'm soooo jelly." she giggled, trying to lighten the last bit of the mood up. "I've heard a lot of cool things happening over there." 

"Me too. That's why I was planning on checking it out. And, I don't know, maybe get a bit of a tan." he joked.

She snorted, still giggling. "Be sure to take lots of pictures." then she added. "BUT, always remember to wear sunscreen. And that includes your gem too." 

He laughed along with her. "Don't worry, I will. Though I'm not sure if I'll be showing it off just yet. Remember, these are folks who don't know me and who've probably never seen or even heard of a 'Gem' before. I'll still need to be careful and I might keep my shirt on." 

"So you'll get a farmer's tan like your dad?" 

"Hey, I guess I might?" he laughed. 

The two laughed for a full minute before it started to die down. "Ah, I need to talk to him soon too. See how he's doing." 

"Yeah. All he talks about is you." 

"I'll definitely have to give him a call once I settle in tonight."

"Right."

There was a two second lull in the conversation and Steven grabbed the phone off the steering wheel. "Well I.. guess I'll talk to you later? Um.. a bit.. later than usual? You know.."

She nodded. "We'll send each other a text and plan another talk much later." 

"Good." he smiled and he waved at her on screen. "Talk to you later, Connie. And have fun at cram school." 

"I won't." she smiled. "but school usually sucks the life out of you anyway." she waved to him. "See you, Steven." 

"See yaaa."

"See yaa~~." 

"See yaaaaa~." Steven waved as Connie clicked off first. He sighed, still smiling.. and waving. And he stopped, slowing lowering his arm back down. 

Already he was starting to realize how alone he was and how quiet the area was around him. 

**How would you rate this call?**

Steven gave the call five stars and exited out the app. He sat back in his seat. 

He was slowly getting better.. yet, he couldn't deny just how lonely and.. bored he was getting. The long drives and going from place to place. It was fun and exotic and exciting at first, but, after awhile.. it's just not as fun when you can't share the memories with someone else. Be it a family member.. or.. or Connie.. or heck, even Spinel or one of the new, uncorrupted Gems from Little Homeworld. 

He was just _so_ lonely..

..and homesick..

And he didn't want to constantly sulk and talk about it to his therapist and to the Gems or his dad or Connie and now and again, Lars either.

He really did need another new change of pace and a change of scenery. And he new that even something as vibrant and as dream-filled as Los Angeles wouldn't help much since he would still be alone as he toured the interesting city. 

He looked out his window, seeing the tall, dirt mountains above him and the gray road just below him. Two cars drove by, rocking the Dondai. 

Maybe he should at least leave the side of the road before someone hits him. Of course he could simply kiss the damages and fix the car and theirs, but that would just lead to him having to explain his self and, that was the opposite of what he wanted happen to him.. 

He put his seatbelt on and twisted the key into the ignition and the car started up. He changed gear shifts, out on his blinkers, checked the side mirror and drove out into the road 

  
  


Steven had driven three hours and only stopped once he heard his stomach rumbling. The last thing he ate was a small breakfast at an obscure diner and that'd been early in the morning. A bit after the sunrise.

He turned into the parking lot and parked his car. He pulled up the parking break, and unclipped his seat belt and got out. This diner definitely looked much livelier and way more busy. As he walked towards the door, he could already smell the burgers frying on the grills.

He could only hope that they had a vegetarian option.

He opened the door, walked inside of the vestibule and opened the second door to the inside. It was even more packed than he had imagined. 

And right then, he was thankful that he was getting better at being around large crowds. Otherwise, he would've turned pink like the first few times when the eyes were staring at him, sending his body to defense mode just in case one would jump up and attack him.

But.. that's what happened the _first_ few times. _This_ time, he was okay (more or less) and he walked pass the large crowds on either side of him and towards the counter. Above him was a large display of what they offered. 

Not much of a variety for a vegetarian, but at least they offered garden salads. And, that was something to munch on.

He waited in line until he was called up next. He'd ordered a large garden salad and a bottled water. He gave the cashier the money, she gave him the change back and he waited on the other side for his order.

It wasn't long until his order was called, just a minute or two later and he scoured around for a place to sit. He could've eaten in his car, but what was the fun in that? He was always in his car and, being around people, though still made him a touch nervous, made him less lonely as well. 

A family was getting up and leaving and he made his way over slowly, not wanting to take the seat within seconds of his departure. 

He sat down and popped open the clear top, taking a look at the nice, leafy greens with cherry tomatoes and onions. He picked up the two packets of ranch dressing and ripped them open. He started pouring the contents over the food.

"..nd it's cheap." a young looking fellow with a plaid shirt and glasses was walking over towards Steven's area. He was talking to two other guys his age wearing the same exact getup. "And some of them will even show you a tour around the city just because they want to. There's no upcharge."

"No way." 

"Way man." he nodded. "It's called Sofa Diving. Weird name, I know, but you meet a lot of cool people on there. You just pay them a bit of money to just crash at their place for a limited amount of time and you get to tour the city. I'm telling you man, you should check it out." the guy opened the side door. "You can even filter your options AND add stuff that you like to-" he and the guys were leaving out, still talking about this app that'd immediately gotten Steven's attention.

Meeting people? And possibly touring the city with them? Sleeping at their place was an added bonus, but..meeting actually people?! 

Oh, how he needed that..

That feeling of being around people he would soon get to know and help and-

He stopped mid ramble. He always had to stop his self when he found his self thinking like that. He needed to slowly come from his hero complex.. Not everyone needed his help. 

Still.. there was no harm in at least meeting a few new people right?

Then why was he feeling so nervous.. yet so giddy at the same time?

He dug his fork into his salad and took his first bite. As he was chewing his healthy snack, he took his phone out of his pocket. 

What was the name of the app again?

Oh yeah. Sofa Diving.

He searched it up online, wanting to read the reviews for it and to see if it was safe. (After all, one must be cautious of any space invaders- er, or people who could secretly be bad.)

He skimmed the reviews page and majority were positive and the app seemed very safe. He didn't let a handful of negative reviews get him down. Overall the app had a 99.99% rating.

He went to his Googlerz play store and downloaded the app. While he was eating he'd made a profile for himself. First, he posted a picture of himself. It was during the time he was in the air and when he was singing to Spinel. Right as he'd went through the clouds and as the moon was shining on him. 

Yes, apparently someone had managed to take a picture of him in that moment.. maybe Ronaldo? But it was a nice picture that caught his good side and those who would see the picture would just think that the sky was a backdrop and not.. the _actual_ sky he'd been thrown up into from Spinel.

He'd eventually even sent that to Connie for a good laugh. At first when he saw it, it'd triggered him into glowing. And he could practically imagine himself there with Spinel in that very moment. But, it got better and Connie was the first person he'd sent the photo to.

In his BIO he kept it pretty vague. 

**Hi, my name is Steven. ******

********

********

**I'm 16 years old and I'm a traveler. I'm originally from the East coast, but I've been travelling for some months now and now I'm travelling along the coast of Cal. I love the beach and eating ice cream and having fun at the arcade and the amusement park. I also like protein shakes as they're a good substitute for pancakes and I like to sing and dance. Also, I'm a vegetarian.**

He read it over. 

Not bad. Sure it could use some work, but that would do, for now.

He stabbed the leaves onto the fork and took another bite.

He went to the pulldown box and started putting in the necessary information in the filter.

**Looking for someone to host or a Sofa Diver?**

A sofa diver

**Which locations are you looking to Sofa Dive?**

He typed in Los Angeles, but also put in a ten mile radius outside of the city as well. He was pretty flexible.

**Are families with little kids okay?**

Yes.

He LOVED little kids. And he was pretty good with them. A few times he'd babysat Pinto during those times when Garbanzo couldn't

**Are families with pets okay?**

Yes.

He LOVED pets. And he LOVED animals in general. That's part of the reason why he became vegetarian. 

And he loved and missed his widdle Lion. And he loved Cat Steven and Pumpkin.

Wait.. does Pumpkin count?

Eek.. good thing Lapis and Peridot didn't hear him say that..

He answered more simple yet incredibly important questions. Then he clicked on the 'families who were currently looking for hosts' box and hit search.

The page refreshed and showed but one listing.

_Wow.. I knew that L.A was busy, but I didn't think that nearly every host family would be full. But then again, it is the summer._

He looked at the profile picture. The house looked pretty big from the photo and it looked to be in a clean neighborhood.

He clicked on it.

He checked out more of the photos; the one with a closer up picture of the house, of the garage, of the backyard, three pictures showing the house at various angles, then the living room (which looked very simple and cozy. Just a red couch with a t.v in front of it), the kitchen decorated with various herbs and spices (so they like to cook.), the clean looking bathroom and the Sofa Diver's would be room which consisted of a bed and a dresser. He clicked on, seeing more pictures of the house, say for the three other bedrooms of the house (which he understood the reason for that. Not everyone would want to post their own bedroom on their. There was also no need to do that). 

He read the description under the photos.

**Hello potential Sofa Diver. We are Oscar and Trudy. Husband and wife who lives with three beautiful children. Our eldest daughter who is seventeen and our twins who are two years old. Occasionally you may see my mother-in-law and her dog who visits us a lot. As well as our neighbors who live across the street.**

**We're currently looking for someone to host. While we're quite flexible, there is a non smoking and non drinking policy in our household. We also ask if you could be so kind to not play the radio or t.v loud in the house as to distract the other family members and to not bother the mother-in-law while she is watching her wrestling.**

Steven gasped. "I love wrestling."

**If you have any further questions, please feel free to call the number and ask away.**

Steven read the amenities. He would have access to the kitchen and to the laundry room downstairs. The internet was free and he would just have to ask for the pass code. The air conditioner works in the room and if needed, they also had portable fans if the Sofa Diver doesn't like using the air conditioning. And if the Sofa Diver has a car, they would also have access to the garage unit.

Wow.. everything was so perfect about the house. It was like a dream come true!- 

_Huh?_

Wizville, CA

_Where's that located?_

There was a small map where it showed the location of the city in California. And, as if the question had popped up multiple times, the person had also posted that they were just a thirty minute car ride, or hour and a half bus ride from Los Angeles. They'd even wrote down the different public transportations to get there.

_Great! Not too far at all!_

The scrolled down for the number. 

Wait.. maybe he should send them a text first with his phone number? That way, they could read his profile and if they liked him enough and liked to proceed with it, they could give him a call. 

He clicked on the message bubble and read aloud as he typed. "Hello, I'm writing in regards to your profile. I really liked it and, I just thought I would send you a quick message. Feel free to read my BIO and if I meet your criteria, feel free to call me." he typed out his number and pressed sent.

It was a dinky, horrible message. And he grimaced at the use of writing out 'feel free to' twice in one message, but he wasn't exactly sure on what to say exactly. 

And now, he would have to wait.

He finished his food and got up and threw his trash in a trash bin just beside the door. He walked out, then went out the second door and into the mid afternoon sun. And the air felt even more hot on is skin since when he first walked out from the car.

He pressed the button on his car pad and he heard the door click open. Just as he opened the door, his phone started to ring. It was number he'd remembered as the one on the site.

Instantly, happiness and anxiety and fear and giddiness was all fighting in his gut to be the top feeling.

He swiped across the screen and held the phone up to his ear. "Hello?" he heard the nervousness in his voice and hoped that it didn't deter her away from such a stranger like him.

"Hello, Steven." her voice was warm and welcoming and it immediately made him feel less anxious. "This is Trudy Proud. How are you?" 

"I'm doing great." he slid the door open slowly. "How are you?" he sat down in the seat with his feet out the door. 

"I'm doing great, thanks for asking. I got your message and I read your profile. I would love to be your host if you hadn't found anyone already." 

"Oh! Uh, no. I haven't. I only contacted you."

"Oh, that's great." and Steven wondered if she was using her incredibly polite voice or if she just.. sound like that. "Was there a specific day you had in mind on? And how long are you planning your stay?" 

Actually, he hadn't thought about how long he was going to stay for. He just wanted to dip his toe into the city, see if he liked it or not and either stayed longer or continued his drive down to Arizona and start all over again.

"I'm not too far from Wizville. Maybe an hour away. I'm in Ventura now." 

There was a car trying to pull in. The driver honked the horn.

Steven mouthed out the word 'sorry.' and turned around, pulling the door towards him, but not closing it.

"Are you driving?"

"No ma'am." he quickly said. "I'm in the parking lot. I just grabbed something to eat." then he added. "I would never talk on the phone while driving." 

"That's very responsible of you." it sounded like she was smiling.

"Yeah, I try." he said. He opened the door and closed it shut. "And I'm not sure how long. But it shouldn't be too long. Maybe two weeks? I'm actually looking to see if I like Los Angeles enough to live there."

There was a chuckle that caressed his eardrum. "Well two weeks sounds like an awfully short amount of time to see if you like a place or not."

"Yeah.. I know. But I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"How about this. You can stay for two weeks and if you would like to extend your stay, given that nobody has contacted us to fill in the vacancy, we will add an extra week. Though of course that would be an added charge for the extra seven days."

"Oh, of course. That makes sense, sure." he smiled. "Mrs. Proud, I would love to come stay with the family, or uh, Sofa Dive at your accommodation." 

She laughed. "Either way you put it is fine. So we'll be expecting you sometime later this evening?"

"Yes ma'am." he nodded, despite of him being on the phone.

Though a lot of people have done that too.. right?

"I shouldn't be too long given that the highways aren't backed up."

"Oh, they most likely are at this time. Though good thing for you, you don't have to drive down the 405. Otherwise I wouldn't be expecting you until morning." she joked. 

"Oh! Uh, hehehehehheheh."

He had no idea what the 405 was but he could safely assume it must be some kind of hectic highway.

"Now I won't hold you up-"

There was a sound of a door slamming open and a man shouting out "Trudy!!!!"

There was a muffled "Not now, Oscar. I'm on the phone." as she covered her hand over the house phone.

"Trudy your little friends can wait. You need to see what Felix just bought for his home theater!! We need to get one of these-"

"Not _now_ Oscar."

"Fine.." he opened the door back. He scoffed and grumbled out. "Women don't know anything about a good home theater anyway. -OW!!" 

Steven heard the sound of someone laughing. "Hey, Puff. Hand me my slipper." 

"Sorry about that, Steven. That's my husband and my mother-in-law. You'll be meeting them when you get here."

"I can't wait to meet them." 

And he honestly couldn't. Especially the mother-in-law since she likes wrestling like him. And the profile said not to disturb her when she's watching the matches, but maybe they could watch them together?

_Hm. I wonder if she's ever heard of The Purple Puma or Tiger Millionaire?_

"I'll see you when you get here. Drive safely."

"See you later, Mrs. Proud. And I will."

She hung up the phone and he went to his maps. He copied and pasted the address into the phone and pressed the navigate button. 

Here he goes.

He was going to be meeting his host family in just an hour or two, depending on traffic. 

He was all sorts of giddy and nervous and happy.

He was going to be meeting new, friendly people and he was going to explore Los Angeles and, now Wizville, CA now that he would be living there. And who knows, maybe he would end up liking that city over Los Angeles.

He put his seatbelt on and put the parking break down. Then he pressed down on the clutch and turned the key into the ignition and he went to first gear.

The boy was in all smiles.

Usually he feared for the future, but now, the future felt brighter to him. He had a good feeling about it all.

He was going to make a new name for himself. 

Without his name behind a shadow of his mother.

Without them knowing he'd saved Earth more than once.

He was going to be Steven Cutie Pie Demayo Quartz Universe.

He drove out the parking lot and into the road.

_Wizville, California. Here I come._


	2. The Hybrid Steven of Wizville

Steven was driving down the block, looking for the house.

Mrs. Proud was right. It did take him quite a bit of time for him to get to the house. The highway was backed up and it took him a little more than two hours to get out of it.

He'd never experienced a backup like that. Even throughout all of his driving he'd never came across anything like that. Not even when he'd driven through New York or even Chicago.

And apparently this '405' highway was worse?

He slowed the car down as he neared the number on the address, until he came across the house that was on the picture.

He took the phone off of the magnet and typed in her number. It rung out a few times and he saw someone pull back the curtain. 

"Hello, Mrs. Proud. I'm here."

"I see you." she waved behind the window. "Park your car in the driveway."

There was a faint. "Trudy, who you talking to?" 

"The person who. we. are. hosting. Remember, Oscar?" 

Steven turned up into their driveway and parked between a black car and a black Jeep that looked like something straight out of a nineteen thirties heist movie. "Okay, I'll get my things." 

He heard the door unlock and open and he saw a woman in her night clothes. She stepped into the porch in her slippers. "Did you need any help?" 

"No, I'm fine. I'm just bringing in one bag. When you're a traveler like me, you learn very quickly on how to travel light."

Also, he could simply call Lion and store stuff in his fur and get it back later.

Though he didn't tell her that.

And he was trying to be a bit more "human" and use his magical, portal making Lion less anyway.

Also, he didn't want to work Lion.

Also.. Lion wasn't the most reliable cat ever..

"Alright." she said. "I'll see you inside."

Steven turned the car off and got out. During the long bumper to bumper wait at one point on the highway, he'd used that time to start making up his bag.

He picked it up from the backseat, closed the door and threw it on his back. He fished the car keys out of his pocket, locked the car and started his walk up to the house. 

"Oscar, stop your whining." he heard an older woman yell.

"I'm just saying, I don't want no, free loading, unhygienic person in this house."

"Oscar, stop." then he heard her shout out. "Penny, what are you doing up there? I told you to come down! Our guest is here!" 

"Uh, yeah mama! I'm coming!"

Steven walked up the porch and saw Mrs. Proud and what he'd assumed was her husband who looked completely shocked. Like he'd just been bitten by a sea shrimp. And right behind him was a hefty, older looking woman with white hair and wearing a pink moo moo.

"Hey, Steven." Mrs. Trudy held out her arms. "Come in, don't be shy." 

He stepped in.

"T, Trudy." the man glared at Steven and he froze. "what is this.." he gestured his hand out at the boy holding his hotdog backpack. 

She looked from Steven, giving her husband a glare of her own. "Oscar, don't be rude."

"WHY is there a _boy_ in my house?!"

 _"Your_ house?"

"Yes, 'my house'. I _am_ the man of this household."

"Last time I checked, _I_ was the one paying these bills." 

He folded his arms. "Well last time _I_ checked, _I_ was the one who FOUND this house for us." 

Steven kept looking from one to the other as they squabbled back and forth.

"..first down payment!" she countered.

"Okay, okay, look." he stopped her abruptly. "We can talk about legalities later. But what I WANT to know, is why there is a TEENAGE boy in this house!"

She was walking slowly over towards the frightened boy. "He's the one who we're hosting. Oscar." she placed a gently shoulder on his arm and he flinched.

He actually FLINCHED!

That probably didn't look good to them.

Trudy let go.

"See! I don't trust him, Trudy." 

"Oh SHUT up, Oscar." his mother yelled. "You don't trust nobody."

Trudy slowly closed the door behind him. "It's no wonder why he's scared. You're all, yelling your head off like that."

"Trudy, we have specifically. _said_ that we would NOT be hosting any boys!"

"Noooo." she walked up to him. _"You_ said that Oscar. Nobody had a problem about that BUT you." 

"Well excuse me, for trying to protect our baby girl, from hormonal, lusty teenage boys who only have one thing on their mind." he glared at Steven. 

And somehow the man made him feel guilty. He wasn't even doing stuff like that and that was far away from his mind. Yet, he felt as if he'd committed such an act already.

"You can't assume every boy is like that." she turned to him. "Steven honey," there was a spark that he couldn't pinpoint with that motherly pet name. "don't you worry about this old fool." she nudged the man hard in his rib and he yelped. "You're welcomed here." 

Steven tried for a smile.

"NO. He is NOT!" 

Steven frowned again. 

"Oscar, stop." , "WHAT is wrong with you son! I thought I raised more brains than that!" Trudy and his mom said over one another. The latter raising her cane in the air.

"He's. a boy. I will have NO boys. living. with us."

"Oscar!" she snarled. 

"Heyy, sorry I'm late everyone. But Dijonay had to fill me in on this concert." Her parents turned around, looking up at the stairs.

And, as they leaned away.

..It was the sway of her ponytails..

..The way her light brown skin shown brightly under the light of the house..

..The cute little beauty mark just below her eye.. 

..And the pretty smile she was making as she made her way down the stairs..

His heart was beating a bit faster than usual.

_Wow.._

"When your mother tells you to come down, you come down at that time, young lady." he mother scolded.

"I know." she said casually. "Sorry, mom."

Her mother scowled at her and the casualness was gone. "Uh, yes ma'am. Won't happen again." she said timidly. 

The scowl lasted for a few agonizing seconds for their daughter before her mother's expression softened as she gestured a gentle hand at Steven. "Penny, this is Steven." the girl looked at him and her smile grew wider. Her eyes directly on him. And maybe it was just Steven, but he thought something was there. "He'll be living with us for a couple of weeks."

 _"No,_ he's _not._ This. Steven. was just leaving." 

_"This._ Steven will be staying with us. Penny, he'll need some help settling in. Why don't you show him to his room?" 

"What?!" 

"He's been on the road for awhile. I can't imagine how tired he must be." 

"But Trudy!"

"CAN it, Oscar." she turned to Steven, beckoning him with her arm. "It's okay. He'll have to deal with it."

He shifted on his feet as he squeezed the strap of his bag a bit tighter in his nervous grip "Uh, are you.. sure? I mean.. I don't want to make anyone uneasy." he looked at the father.

"Don't worry about him, boy. He's just a sad, pathetic human. You don't have to worry about him one bit." his mother reassured him.

"That's how he is with a lot of guys. It's nothing against you." Trudy added softly.

"Yeah'uh. Heh. Correction. I _do_. have something. against you." he said matter of factly. "Because. _you_. are a boy. And therefore, can get. my daughter. pregnant." 

"Daddy!" Penny whined. 

Steven felt his cheeks practically turning a bright red. He could feel the blush trail to the tip of his ears.

"Oscar, where is your filter?!"

"Left it somewhere right along with his sense. HA!" his mother joined in.

"Trudy, he's a boy. You know what boys do?!" he pointed an accusing finger at him. "And I don't trust what he has in that bag!"

Steven shifted on his feet. He could feel his body trying to take over. His brain registering the man as a threat.. someone trying to hurt him. 

He tried holding the instinct in. Hoping his cheeks weren't glowing amidst the blush. 

"H, here." he took the bag off slowly and laid it down on the brown carpet. He raised his hands up. "You can check it if you want."

"Oh COME on Oscar, you're making it seem like he's in some kind of prison." she turned to Steven. "Please, put your hands down." she hesitated, then slowly reached over and gently touched one of his hands as he brought them both down.

"He's gonna BE in some prison if I see anything REMOTELY unusual and suspicious in this bag." he started taking out his night clothes, then his toiletries.

She rubbed at the scared looking boy's hand. "I'm sorry, Steven. This is completely unacceptable and I want to apologize on his behalf. He should NOT be acting like this-." 

"Okay, everything seems to be pretty safe." he got up. "Now let me check _you."_

"Huh?" he squeaked.

"Oh, no. Now. Oscar you are just doing too much." 

We waved her away. "Pipe down, Trudy. It'll only take a second. You want him to stay? Well I want to make sure he's safe." he started patting down his legs. "And maybe them I'll think about him sleeping in the garage. Somewhere far away from my baby girl's room."

His skin felt hot and with every second he could feel his pink side trying to take over. 

He started counting quickly in his mind as the man pat the rest of his jeans, then up his chest and right as he started patting his sides, the gears of his brain raced. 

He was about to touch his gem.

Then he would ask what it was..

And then he would be forced to show them..

And then they would start freaking out and asking him questions.. and then he would start panicking because it would begin to be too much for him!! And then he would turn full on pink and PROBABLY turn into a huge, HUGE WINGLESS DRAGON AND CRASH THROUGH THEIR ROOF!! AND THEEEN THE GEMS AND THE DIAMONDS WOULD HAVE TO RESCUE HIM AND IT WOULD AAAALL BE OVER FOR HIM FOR GOOD THIS TIME!!!!

Oscar was touching the sides of stomach-

"Wait!" he jumped back, grabbing the man's hands. And Steven knew he could feel just how hot his skin was. He let go. "I.." the man looked at him, taken aback. Wait, was he glowing? He hoped that he wasn't. "I.. had surgery there. My.. stomach is still pretty sensitive." 

"Then let me _see_ the scar."

He trembled. Not wanting to. And he was one hundred percent sure his cheeks were glowing pink.

"Okay, Oscar." Trudy stepped in between them. "THAT is enough. Stop interrogating the boy."

"Trudy, did you SEE how he grabbed my hand?!"

"You were. PATTING him down like some kind of criminal, Oscar! What do you expect!" 

"Look, I know that boy's hiding something." he pointed a finger at him and Steven backed up into the door. 

"Look, Oscar, you're scaring him." she calmed her voice down. "This is not right and you know that."

"Trudy, I'm just trying to-Achk!!" his mother pulled him by the throat with the neck of her cane. "Oscar if you don't calm yourself right now, I'm gonna put the HURTIN' on ya."

"Momma!" he gagged. He tried pulling the camera from him.

Trudy turned to the hyperventilating boy. She slowly pulled him away from the door, rubbing his back. She looked at her daughter. "Penny, show him the bathroom. He needs to go somewhere quiet." she pulled him gently and grabbed the opened bag. She gave it to Penny. "Here, take him upstairs." she leaned towards him. "It's going to be okay." 

Penny looked uneasy to be taking.. some extremely red, pink sweaty, hyperventilating stranger up the stairs of their house, but she didn't say anything to her mother otherwise.

She put the backpack on her back and placed a hand on his shoulder. He jumped. "It's okay." she told him.

Oscar grunted, trying to get the words out. "Achkk.. that boy.. you're not letting him go up there!" he yelled out hoarsely. 

Penny quickened her steps up the stairs with Steven around her arm. They made it to the floor and down the hall. "The bathroom's right here." she opened the door for him. He walked in. "Did you need your bag?" he gave her a wordless shake of the head. "Okay. I'll be right out here." she closed the door and Steven looked at himself in the mirror. The pink had mixed in with the blush on his face. It was noticeable, but not as noticeable if he hadn't been blushing prior. And the glow had only reached his cheeks and to the bottom of his eyes.

He stared at himself. Completely chiding himself for being so easily spooked like that.

And in front a group of people he didn't even know!

They would definitely be telling him to leave..

WHY did he have to panic like that? 

So what if they'd found out if he was a Gem?

He was planning on telling them eventually, so? 

And if he was to be Steven, his self, then he would have to embrace BOTH his Gem side AND his human side.

So.. he shouldn't be scared or ashamed. This was who he was. A hybrid. And someone who still needed more time to adjust and to heal with everything that he'd been through.

He felt himself starting to calm down. And as he started listing off the things he saw in the bathroom and mixed it in with counting up to ten and from ten on down, he started calming down more. His skin felt less hot and when he eventually looked back in the mirror, the pink glow was gone. 

  
  


He walked out the bathroom without the glow and without the blush coloring his face.

Penny was on the opposite wall, sitting down. She looked up at him. "Feeling better?"

"Uh, y, yeah." he felt a little silly. He scratched at his curly hair. "Sorry for that.. little show back there."

She got up, groaning. "Don't worry about it." she gave a roll of her eyes. "It was my _dad_ making a fool out of himself again, like he always do and making us look bad." 

"But.. I didn't act the best either." 

"Maaan. My dad was the one feeling you up and throwing your stuff around in this bag. I'm actually surprised you didn't get even more mad actually."

"Oh I. try not to get mad." ..he wouldn't want to shatter the whole house like the time he was in the clam.. or.. at the house.. or.. the time when his Pink other half-

_NO... no. Were not going down that road. Remember what your therapist told you, Steven._

"Well, you're better than me." she stopped at a door. "This is your room." she opened it and she walked in. He walked in behind her, looking at the room he'd already saw in the picture and was now so surreal to him. 

Penny placed his bag on the bed. "Make yourself at home." he looked at her. "T, thanks."

"Hey, it's no problem." she walked pass him and towards the door. Then she thought of something and turned around. "Also, Stephan. Don't worry about my dad. Like, heh, seriously. That's just how he acts towards EVERY guy. Not just you. He even did the same to this, talking peanut." she scoffed. "Didn't trust him around me either."

_Talking.. peanut?_

_Wha?_

"Okay, well I'll let you get situated. I ain't gonna, be all on your back or anything. I know how you travelers want your space."

And boy how wrong she was..

Or at least with him..

He wanted nothing more than to be with people.

Well.. apart from her father, that is..

She grabbed the doorknob. "Night, Stephan." she smiled.

And that smile melted his heart. He raised his hand, waving at her. Not bothering to correct her. "Night, Penny." 

To him, he thought something was there. How she showed her teeth when she smiled and how her eyes were practically twinkling with beauty. The moment lasted up until she finally turned and closed the door.

And he was alone in his new room.

He shuffled his way to the bed and sat down by his bag. 

So this was it. He'd finally arrived at another destination and already he had an enemy. Though he couldn't feel too bad about it. It was how he reacted to "teenage boys" as the father and Penny said.. And at least the rest of the family really seemed nice.

He still had a pretty good feeling about this place and the city, so he definitely wasn't going to let that deter him from staying.

His phone started ringing and he slid the device out of his pocket.

And his mood jumped up to eleven upon seeing the name.

"Hey, dad!" he cheesed.

"Hey there, son. Sorry for calling. You're probably all busy touring the world and, being your own person and whatnot, but.. your old man was missing you a bit too much." he tried to lessen the embarrassment through a chuckle. "I haven't spoken to you in two weeks." 

He slid up in the bed and leaned his back on the wall. "Dad." he chortled. "You never have to say sorry for calling me. I always love talking to you." 

"Aeeehhh, ya knooooow." he drawled. "I don't want to annoy you."

"Never." he smiled. He felt his throat tighten. "And I missed you too dad. I miss everyone back at Beach City."

There was a full two seconds of silence. "And.. we miss you too, Steven." he heard a short inhale of a breath. "We all miss you. soo. much." he heard him clear his throat. "So." he went for a deeper, "less emotional" voice. "How's everything? How's the car? Did you find anything interesting on your travels?" 

"Everything's going great. Slowly but surely. I'm still talking to my therapist and I haven't been having too many outbursts or turning pink." _say for the two times I did today.._ "And no, nothing too interesting. Museums and fast food places are more or less the same in every state." 

"You wouldn't be saying the same thing about L.A! I heard there's nothing like it." 

"No, I think you're talking about New York." he snorted.

"Oh.. well maybe I am."

"And I'm still planning on going there. I just reached Wizville, CA and I plan on staying here for a bit."

"Wizvill, CA, huh? Never heard of it. Must be some small part of California somewhere."

"Yeah, it's pretty small, but it's a nice area."

"Good. Good....... -So, uh.. you're safe right? I mean I know you're playing things safe, of course you are, you're my son and you know how to live your life."

"Heheh, yes, dad. I am." 

"I know you are. I shouldn't even had to ask that question."

"What do you expect? You're a kind, loving father who's worrying about his son. Of course you'll have questions like that."

There was a knock at the door.

He was started for a second, but still let out a choked out. "Come in."

"Oh! Steven, am I intruding on something?" 

Trudy opened the door slowly.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could've called back later."

"Uh, it's fine, dad. I _wanted_ to talk to you."

Trudy stopped just in front of the door holding a saucer in her hand. On top of it a small steaming mug.

"But.. I _am_ glad that we could have even just a little talk."

"Of course. Anytime." 

"I guess I'll let you go."

"Take care, son. I love you."

"I love you too." 

He waited until he heard a click at the end. He powered the phone back down and looked up at the hostess.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your talk with your father." she walked towards him. "I wanted to give you something." she leaned the cup towards him. "I thought you'd like to have some tea. To calm your nerves."

He grabbed the saucer and the cup with the other hand. "Thank you."

"I also wanted to apologize again with how my husband reacted." 

He set the saucer down on his lap.

"Oscar can get a bit animated at times, but that doesn't give him the right to treat you like that. And then I saw how you were reacting to him. And, that honesty made me a bit worried." she went straight to the point. "Steven, are you okay?" 

Good thing he wasn't drinking just then, otherwise he would've choked on the tea. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"I mean." she placed a hand on her chest. "I'm not psychiatrist, nor am I a therapist. But I couldn't help but notice the little ways you were reacting."

"Y,yeah." he brought the cup up to his mouth. "I just.. got a little scared." he said behind the cup. "that's all." 

"Hmm." the lady hummed. Though he didn't know what that meant. "Okay. I just wanted to make sure." she said tenderly. 

Steven took a few sips of the tea to prevent him from saying anymore. 

Uuhg.. WHY was he so awkward around people but not.. GEMS?! WHY was talking to people, (aside from when he's trying to help them) that much harder to talk to?!

"If you need anything, Steven, our room is just down the hall to the left." she walked back to the door. 

"Okay." he took a few more sips and smiled. "And thanks for the tea, Mrs. Proud. It's delicious." 

"You're welcome, Steven. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

She closed the door.

That was nice of her. She didn't have to apologize again _or_ give him tea. But she did.

He spent a few minutes drinking the hot tea and he placed the empty mug on the dresser.

Then he got ready for bed. Like Mrs. Proud had said, he _was_ pretty tired from travelling all day. And now, he just wanted to sleep. 

He took out his toiletries and went to the bathroom. He took a shower, brushed his teeth, polished his gem and headed back to the room.

He put his toiletries out on the dresser and got in bed. The mattress feeling extremely soft and comfy. He pulled back the top cover and pulled it down to the foot of the bed. It was too hot for that, but he didn't mind the thin blanket laying underneath of it.

He took out his phone and went to his home screen, looking at the photo of he and the Gems when they were on top of a crystal pad during the construction of Little Homeworld. 

Wow. He sure has changed since then. No outbursts. No glowing pink.

But, there was no use of sulking too much about it. He was trying to move forward from his trauma, not take any steps back. 

He stared at the picture longer than he intended to.. Pearl, Garnet.. Amethyst. His family behind him. 

This picture. 

It showed how far they came. And also how far he came from after dismantling the empire. But it also showed right before his first crack from something that was slowing building up inside of him. And in this picture, it'd been long brewing. Even before the Diamonds had came to Earth.

But again, he shouldn't be focusing on the negativie aspects of it. He should be moving forward. 

"Goodnight Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst." a tear slid down his face and into the pillow. He locked his screen and placed his phone down beside him. "Goodnight Dad, Connie, Lion.. and the townies of Beach City." 

He turned over on his side, getting comfortable. He wiped the tear from his face. He was going to continue striving to be happy and to find himself. He'd made a new step in coming to Wizville, CA and by extension, Los Angeles and he was _not_ going to brood and mope. He was going to better himself, to be cheerful, adventurous, enthusiast, passionate! _He_ was going to make the most of his stay in this new city


	3. Steven 'n the Wizville

Steven woke up abruptly to the sound of Trudy yelling at Oscar accompanied by the sweet, soothing sounds of the twins screaming and screeching as they ran up and down the halls. And then, with just a dash of Penny screaming out "MOMMA, I CAN'T FIND MY EYELINER!! HOW CAN I DRAW MY BEAUTY MARK WITHOUT MY LINER!!" then another. "MOMMA!!" 

"TRUDYYYY!!!! WHERE'S MY TIE!!"

"PENNY, DID YOU TRY LOOKING IN YOUR PURSE? THE ONE BY YOUR CLOSET!!" then the woman switched her tone, yelling out angrily. "OSCAR, HOW DO YOU KEEP LOSING YOUR TIES!?! I PUT THEM IN THE SAME SPOT EVERYDAY!!" 

The twins continued to scream and laugh and stomp up and down pass his room.

Steven sighed.

_Guess I'm up.._

He leaned up in bed. 

It sure was odd waking up in someone else's house that wasn't your family's or your friends' place.

And it was odd not waking up in his car or at a motel or hotel establishment.

But he didn't necessarily _not_ like it. It was just.. different.

Something had fallen on the floor with a thump. Then he heard crying. 

"BEBE? CECE?" someone was running down to his door.

The toddler continued to cry. 

"Awee, it's okay." Trudy soothed the child. 

"WHO IS THAT CRYING LIKE THAT!! IS THAT BEBE CRYING LIKE THAT!!" the father continued to shout from the bedroom. "THAT BETTER NOT BE BEBE!! YOU BETTER MAN UP BOY!!" 

"OSCAR RELAX!!" then she said gently to the crying boy. "Come on, BeBe. Let's go and finish getting you ready." Steven heard the footsteps leave his door. 

Just two seconds later he heard a creak of a door as it opened on the other side of his room. 

"Da da!!" he heard another voice. 

"Why hello princess." the father cooed. Then Steven heard him shout. "TRUDY!! I STILL CAN'T FIND MY TIE!!! 

"OSCAR, JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE! I'M STILL GETTING BEBE READY!!"" 

_Did they really have to yell from the opposite side of the house in separate rooms.._

"TRUDYYYY!!!!!"

"ONE MINUTE OSCAR!!"

_I'll just stay put here until it all blows over and things are a bit more quiet.._

_pat.. pat.. pat.._

He looked up at the door.

_pat.. pat.. pat.._

"Come in." 

_pat.. pat.. pat.._

"Come in." he said a bit louder.

_pat.. pat......... pat.. pat.. pat.. pat._

"Hm." he got up from his bed.

_pat.._

He opened the door. And looked down.

A small child wearing a pink dress with brown hair and hazel eyes was looking right at him. 

_Aweeee, one of the twins._

"Hey there." he welcomed. 

She smiled and waved at him. 

"I didn't get to meet you yesterday. Hi. My name is Steven."

She giggled in response.

Trudy was coming out of a room in the far right of him and holding hands with her twin brother. The boy was wearing gray shorts and a striped blue and white shirt and a full head of curly black hair that covered his eyes.

_Heehee, awwwee, he wears his hair over his eyes like Sapphire._

"Good morning, Steven."

"Good morning, Mrs. Proud." then he waved to the boy. "Hello~"

The boy waved back with a grin. 

"Did you sleep okay last night?"

"I did. That bed is extremely comfortable."

_Just wish I could've stayed asleep for a bit longer.._

"I'm happy to hear that." she smiled. 

The twin sister pulled on his pant leg. "Hey." Steven said again with a bright smile. 

"CeCe, stop bothering him." the mother came over and took her other arm. "Well I'll let you get to what you were doing." she said. "I know you have a lot of plans for today." 

"I wasn't really doing anything." he admitted. "I just woke up. And, I don't have any plans. I haven't thought about what to do actually." he brought his hand up to scratch his chin. "I wasn't sure if I was going to take that drive to L.A or maybe drive around and sightsee here."

"Both are good options. There's tons of stuff to do in L.A. You have Disneyland, seeing the Hollywood sign, going to the Griffeth Park and Observatory, walking down Hollywood Boulevard to see the Celebrity walk of fame and the Chinese theatre. There's also Rodeo Drive and The Getty. And the list goes on and that's not to mention what you can do here. You have the Wiz museum, the mall, and you can even sign up for a few recreational activities and sports." 

Every single thing she said sounded interesting. And he couldn't wait to do all of them eventually.

"Wow." he made a mental list of a few that really stuck out to him. "Thanks for the list, Mrs. Proud. I might just walk around the city today instead and drive down to Los Angeles tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan."

"TRUDY!!!!!"

"I'm coming, Oscar." she said sternly. She pulled Cece away from his leg. "Come on kids." she said lightly. "Let's find daddy his tie, even though we know it's in the third drawer where it always is." she glanced over at Steven. "Have fun on your sightseeing, honey."

That sweet little pet name again..

"Thanks Mrs. Proud." 

Penny was coming out of her room on the other side of the hallway and in uniform. Though what uniform it was, it slipped his mind. Either soccer or football.

But she looked like a tough cookie wearing it. Especially with the high, thick shoulder pads and the helmet with the sturdy looking face guard on it.

She closed the door behind her. "Heeey. Good morning, Stephan." 

"Good morning, Penny." he knew he had a silly grin on his face. But he was more occupied with the heat he felt on his cheeks. "So.. sports?" he was very articulated.

"Yeah, I have football" _Ah, okay 'football'_ "practice this morning. Heh, ya girl here is one of the BEST players." she pointed to her face and a very smug grin formed on her lips. "Not to mention being the only _girl_ in this school's football team."

_Why? ..Did no other girl want to join?_

Connie and Kiki probably would've joined with her. And Sadie definitely would've joined with her newfound free time on her hands now.

"That sounds like some pretty heavy shoes to fill."

"Eh, I got it all. under. control. Like I said, I'm one of the best players on the team. I ain't got nothing to worry about."

Her mother was walking out holding one twin on either arm. "See? We _told_ daddy that it was in the drawer, but he didn't believe us." she cooed to Bebe. He chuckled in her face.

Oscar came out the room fixing the tie around his neck. "I still think you planted it there. I looked in that drawer, twice, and I didn't see it." 

She gave a slight tilt of her head. "Now why would I plant a tie in your drawer exactly?" 

"To play tricks with my mind." he fixed the tie under his suit jacket. "I know how you be playing, Trudy."

She looked at the twins and showed them a playful roll of her eyes, eliciting a fit of giggles from the two.

Then.. the father locked eyes with him and Steven's stomach did a tiny kick. Or at least that's what it felt like to him.

 _Okay, Steven. Don't make this any awkward. Just, show him how friendly you are._

He raised his hand in a meek wave. "Good morning, Mr. Proud." 

"Hmph." he glowered at him. Still suspicious of the boy who grabbed his hand when he tried reaching for his stomach. He proceeded to fix the cufflinks on his suit.

"Oh, would just stop it with this already, Oscar. The boy hasn't even done anything and you're over here acting as if we're harboring a prisoner." 

_Does being in a jail-like tower (that your own mother used to stay in at one point) just because you fused with your best friend who's an 'organic' count as being a prisoner?_

_Then.. yes? I guess I was?_

_And what about that time I went to space court on my mom's behalf?_

The father leaned down and whispered. "Trudy, we don't know _who_ he is. Some kind of serial killer. Anything!" he whisper shouted. "You seen the way he grabbed my hand?!" 

CeCe squealed as she threw a tiny fist towards her father's eye. He yelped and held his eye.

"Oscar, give him a break. You're only saying that because he's a boy. You weren't interrogating any of those _girls_ that were living here."

He rubbed his eye. "Exactly. Because they're girls. _He's_ a boy. And by default, teenage boys are always up to no good." 

"So that last girl that took my necklace doesn't count because?"

He blinked his eye a few times and rubbed it. "She probably thought that jewelry came with the amenities."

Penny was walking over towards them. "Dad, the girl also stole my skirt." she folded her arms and with a roll of her neck she said. "Now I _know_ home girl didn't think that that was apart of the amenities."

_How did she do that with her neck?_

Oscar laid a reassuring hand on his daughter's shoulder pad. "Well, she probably thought you two were close like sisters. And, that's what sisters do. They exchange clothes and do each other's hair." 

"Dad. That's not what happened. And you know that." she sassed. 

"Ah, whatever Penny." he let go. "You two just want to point fingers at her." his eyes went back to the problem in front of him. "But, none of you seem to have any problems with a teenage boy in the house."

"No, we don't. Because he's a guest." she countered. _"And_ you'll treat him like one."

"Heh, a guest." he grumbled. "More like a pest-" she stepped on his foot with her short heel. "OWW!!" he jumped and grabbed at his dress shoe.

"Dad, I think you should give him a chance." said Penny. She walked pass him and down the stairs.

His foot was throbbing in pain. "Yeah, you'll have a better chance of me growing wings." 

"She's right, honey. Instead of all this bickering, you should give the nice boy a chance." she started walking away and down the stairs. "And who knows, you two may even become close friends."

The pain was slowly subsiding from his toes. He gently laid his foot back down. "You got jokes, Trudy. You really do." he limped down the stairs after her. "Oscar here ain't befriending no hand grabbing stranger." 

_Well that.. went a bit better? At least he didn't yell at me or stir something up again like what had happened last night._

He heard the front door open and close seconds later. 

_And now everyone was just.. gone like that? Without saying another word?_

_Or maybe I've just grown accustomed to the Gems saying one last thing before leaving on the warp pad._

He was about to head back inside the room when he heard the door open again and a "Steven, I almost forgot." he heard footsteps coming up the steps.

Trudy was holding a key attached to a keychain. "Here's your key." 

He grabbed it from her. "Thanks." 

She gestured with a head nod. "I won't be gone for too long. I'm just taking the twins to Dr. Payne's office to get their shots. If you need anything, my cellphone number is written down and on the fridge."

"Okay." he said. "Thanks again."

She made her way down the stairs and out the door once more.

He walked back inside and placed the key by his toiletries. Everyone was already gone and seizing the day. And then there was him who didn't even bother planning anything ahead.

And just to think. He was the complete opposite of that a little more than a half a year ago. That book of all of his duties and plans and various activities from the moment he got up to the time he went to sleep.

Though that turned out to not be healthy for him.

He pulled back the covers in search of his phone. He found it near the edge of the bed and picked it up. He unlocked it and sat back down. 

Like he told Mrs. Proud, he would just walk around the area and sightsee. But where would he go first?

His stomach growled as if to suggest a place.

That could work.

He could grab a bite to eat and walk around in that general area.

**Diners in Wizville, CA**

The results showed a few diners, though one of them had the most reviews and was given a five star rating. 

**Da Wizville Cafe**

That was easy. He would go there and eat and walk around the area. Maybe even take a few pictures if the area is exiting enough and post it on his FaceSpace page.

He got ready; putting on his clothes, spraying two little sprits of cologne on his shirt and just a tiny amount of hairspray on his curls.

According to his app, the map showed that the diner was just four metro stops away from the house. He would just need to walk up a few blocks, take the train and walk another block up. 

Steven closed the door behind him and walked down the hall of someone else's home. That still felt weird to him. Being in a huge stranger's house by his self.

He reached the stairs and all of that "being in a total stranger's house" he was thinking about just a few seconds ago went away as his mind flipped to wanting to roll down the stairs in his bubble. Then his mind was reminded again that, he was, in fact, in a total stranger's house.

He'd grown accustomed to traveling down the stairs in his bubble. That's what he'd done before. Even during his rough stages right before he thought about taking a road trip. More times than not he would summon his bubble and roll his self downstairs and to the floor.

This time he didn't and he walked down each step at a time and to the front door. He opened the door to the step and closed the door behind him. The sun was already heating up the area and warming up his shirt.

And he definitely enjoyed the feeling. It reminded him of the weather in Beach City. (Not to mention being completely tired of rain and cold wheather from being up North for a month. And then having to keep his jacket on with an umbrella while travelling down San Francisco.) 

He locked the door and stuck the keys far down in his pocket. And with a bright smile to welcome the world and a spring in his step, he pranced down the walkway and down the sidewalk.

****

It didn't take Steven long to get to the subway. Though it took him longer to get his ticket. This was his first time taking the train.. or, subway? or was it both? He didn't know, but people seemed to be calling the mode of transportation two different names. 

It was also his first time in _general_ taking public transportation. And it was a bit unnerving to see so many people in crowds and going every which way around him, but not to the point of him to.. _start glowing._

He asked one of the agents to help him and she stepped out of her booth. After a few of questions on where we was going, if he was going to take more than one public transportation and if this would be a reoccurring thing, she decided that an all day pass would be essential enough. He wasn't planning on traveling throughout Wizville everyday so he didn't need to buy an official card and with an all day pass he could ride on three different modes of transportation for a full twenty four hours.

He thanked her for the help and with a few trials and errors finally figured out how to use the ticket the right way for the turnstiles to rotate and he took the escalators (also for the first time) up to the platform.

Now, he had to wait for the trains. According to the directory above him the Rouge Train would be coming in just two minutes.

And in two minutes, the circle on the floor was lighting up indicating the train's arrival and the lean, hunk of metal was pulling up in front of him.

He stepped inside, along with a few other people. And, he just felt like he blended in at that point. Nobody was glaring at him because he was the son of Rose Quartz/ Pink Diamond and nobody was thanking him generously and gravelling at his feet and doing the Diamond Salute.

And sure, that was how it'd been for the last four, five months, but it felt different this time. He was just, walking amongst the other humans as if he'd been doing this all his life. He seemed to blend in with the teenagers their friends and the businesses men as they travelled towards their stop.

The doors slid to a close and he sat down.

**This is the Eastbound train to Jopkins Center Plaza. Next stop Gall's Tower**

Steven leaned back as the train pulled off with a low puff. 

The train rode to the next stop and the doors opened. A few people got off and a few people got on to take their place. Some of them in mid conversation as they walked in. 

The train wasn't too crowded, though some people opted to holding onto the straps or the top bars of the trains instead of sitting down right next to other people.

**This is the Eastbound train to Jopkins Center Plaza. Stand back. Doors closing.**

The doors on either side of the train cars slid to a close.

**Next stop Old Mills Station**

The train pulled off from the platform.

Steven was enjoying the nice little ride. Seeing the top of the trees and the clear blue sky. At one point he'd even seen another train going pass across from them and going the opposite way.

_This isn't bad at all. Riding the train is pretty nice._

He kept his chin in his hand as he rested his arm on the seat. He watched the imagery go pass him from outside.

Four people wearing black jackets and black track pants got up across from him and they squeezed pass the bystanders standing up and they walked with a bob in their step down the aisle.

Steven looked back at the window, seeing more of the city from afar. The various buildings, ranging from size, color and material and he saw a few people skating inside of what liked to be sliver hole in the ground. People were skating on the sides and riding down inside of it and back up. And amongst them he saw another gadget they were riding on. Some were riding the gadget along the edges of the hole or on the rails. 

A guy was riding on the object. Steven saw him jump from the top of the stairs and just as he landed on the ground, the object slid out from right under him and shot out behind him and he fell flat on his face.

_Oooooooooo.... he might need some healing spit for that._

The scene went dark as the train entered a tunnel of some sort. It did catch him off guard as he wasn't expecting it, but he relax almost instantly.

The area was muffled as the train increased it's speed and went deeper into the tunnel. He could hear the train screech across the tracks.

 **This is the Eastbound train to Jopkins Center Plaza.** the train said again. **Next stop. Old Mills Station**

There was a bit of movement from down the aisle right at the end of the train. Steven looked over and saw a group of people getting up and moving back. With the area muffled, he could barely make out what they were saying, but it sounded frantic. More people got up. They were looking at something as they moved back and Steven started to hear low thumps coming from the area.

_What's going on?! What's happening over there?!_

The bystanders backed up more, some people pushing into each other as they started shouting out.

Steven got up. The first and only thing coming to his mind of a corrupted Gem trying to attack these innocent people. 

He ran down the aisle and bumped into the crowd of people being pushed into each other and shouting. The sound of something thumping getting louder.

_What if it's Azurite?! Or.. MAYBE ANOTHER GEM MORE POWERFUL THAN HER!!_

"Uh, excuse me, excuse me." he pushed pass the people. The shouts were getting louder and a few people were pushed back into him. He lost his balance as the train moved, but quickly found his footing. He held the two people up, indirectly stopping the other three people in front of the two from falling as well.

They eventually found their own footing and Steven slid pass them. Just between the cracks of people in front of him, he saw someone in black sliding across the floor. _Someone's attacking someone up there!_ he squeezed pass a few more people and pushed his self through the front. Right as he was about to summon his shield, the gem on his stomach flashing bright under his shirt, he noticed-

The four people in black from earlier were.. dancing.

He dropped his arm. The gem dulling out. 

_.......?...._

A woman in front was throwing her legs out in front of her. Each leg being tossed out in front of the other with each twist of her hips.

Another girl and the two guys behind her were doing the same thing. Then, the main one in the front dove down on her hands and ducked her head under. She began spinning on her back. 

People watching were shouting out and jumping up with energy.

The low thumping, which he soon realized was a beat coming from a book box behind him, was vibrating the floors of the train.

_Is this some kind of dance or.. show they do on the train?_

The girl lifted her body up, her legs high in the air and as she continued to spin, she put her hands underneath of her and pushed off. She stopped. In a hand stand pose. Then she placed her head on the floor and with a few spins with her hands she lifted her hands up and was spinning on her head.

Everyone cheered, clapped and hollered.

Steven smiled. His eyes filled with wonderment and awe.

_Whoa.._

_How is she doing that?!_

"I DEFINITELY have to film this." Steven took out his phone and started recording. He managed to film just a few seconds of the girl spinning on her head before she shifted her neck downward, bringing her shoulders and back to the floor and using that momentum to spin on her back, then shifting once more and spinning on her side. The three in the back pushing off with all four limbs with their backs facing the floor as they pushed and kicked off in quick movements.

Steven filmed the rest of the dance. The crew not stopping until the train was slowing up towards the next stop. They got up and everyone started clapping and cheering. Some even whistling. They thanked the crowd and shouted out their name, promoting themselves. One person was holding a bucket and a few people were putting money in it. 

_Oh! So it WAS a show. I better go pay for it too. I don't want them to think I tried watching it for free._

He dug in his pocket and pulled out three ten dollar bills and a five.

_How much was for the show?_

He walked up towards the person holding the jar. Two men put in five dollars and walked back to their seat. Steven put the tens back in his pocket and slipped in the five. "Thanks." the boy said. 

"No problem." Steven cheesed. "You guys were really good out there. Do you have shows here all of the time?"

"We actually just started." he put the cap back on the jar, but quickly opened it back up as another guy came up to them. He slid in three dollars. The boy nodded and gave him a thanks and turned back to Steven. "But you should be seeing us more." he put the cap back on the jar.

"Maybe I'll see you guys a couple more times!" and he really hoped that he would. They were really _really_ good. 

"Foh sho." he smirked. He raised his hand with his fingers curled under in a fist. 

Steven looked at it.

_Uh oh.. Is this some kind of greeting?!_

"Can't wait to see you guys out there!" he chirped. He grabbed the boy's fist and shook it. 

"Uh.." the boy looked down at the handshake. He pulled his hand back. "You're not from around here, huh?"

"Uh, no." he shook his head. "I'm on a road trip and I'm travelling around the States." 

"Oh, that's what's up." 

The doors opened on either side of the train. "This is me." his three friends and a few other bystander walked out of the train. He gave Steven a nod and Steven waved back to him as he left out.

And, just like that, everyone was already settled into their seats. He walked back and noticed that someone else was sitting in his seat. He sat down in another chair across from the woman and a few seconds later another person had sat down next to him.

**This is the Eastbound train to Jopkins Center Plaza. Next stop Grover Park. Stand back. Doors closing.**

The doors slid to a close and the train pulled off once again.

Steven got off at the stop after next at a station called Wizville Kelly Station. He went up two different escalators, slid his ticket through the machine and went up another set of escalators to above ground. The sun was shining even brighter now in the sky. 

He stepped to the side to let other people pass him and he went to his FaceSpace page. He attached the video to the post and wrote: **First time on the train and I get to see this amazing show going on. Can't wait to see these guys again!**

He posted the clip and went back to his maps. The line showed that he should make a left, going up the street. He put the phone back in his pocket and made his way to the diner.

  
  


The walk only took him five minutes. The diner looked even more bright and prestigious than in the pictures. He walked in and was hit with cool air and the smell of breakfast cooking. 

His flip flops squeaked across the well polished floor as he walked pass orange balls with black lines etched across it hanging from the ceilings. 

"Good morning." a friendly looking face said to him.

"Good morning."

"Just you?" she asked. 

"Yeah, it's just me." 

"Okay." she picked up the lamented menu from her table. "Follow me."

He followed her to a nearby table. Other families and couples were sitting around him and eating.

That looked nice.

The last time he ate with someone was three months ago when he was still going with Connie.

And now, he was to eat by himself.

Wasn't really ideal, but hopefully that would change once he starts really going out and about in the area. Or maybe if and when Lars decides to come back and visit Earth, he could stop by and hang about with Steven. 

_Hm.. though how would that work with the locals seeing a pink human bieng surrounded by "alien creatures" that they'd never met before._

_Not to mention Lars coming in for a landing on his sun incinerator.._

Steven sat down and was given the menu. With a few cheery exchanges, she left and he began reading the menu. It was a rather quick decision and he decided to get pancakes with orange juice. 

A waitress came over and took his order. He gave her back the menu and as he waited or his food, he started looking around the diner. The floors were so shiny and everything looked so clean and well polished. But one thing stood out to him the most. The orange balls etched with black lines. They were hanging from the ceiling, one was plastered on each table and the designs were on the small carpeted area towards the window. 

_Hm.. This diner really likes football._

_..No wait, .. I think those are soccer balls.._

The waitress came by with his food twenty minutes later and he ate his food _alone_. 

The food was delicious, even so, he figured it would've been ten times delicious if he was eating it with a friend. 

He finished the food, got his check and paid for it. The bill was definitely higher than all of the other diners he and Connie had went to, but he figured because of the city he was in and didn't think too much of it. 

After taking a quick stop to the bathroom, he left the building and he was back out into the hot weather.

The following four hours had consisted him of going to a handful of shops and simply walking around and looking at the buildings, the locals doing their own things and watching the leaves dance as the wind blew across them lightly.

The first shop he went to was a small flower shop. It reminded him of the time when he tried picking up gardening to pass the time since leaving Little Homeworld. He even saw a few types of flowers that he'd planted as well. All was fine and dandy until his allergies started to settle in and as he excused his self from the owner, he had to make a hasty retreat. 

The next one was a tool store. He still went into the building, even though he didn't necessarily call himself a craftsmen or someone who heavily relies on tools. Sure he, along with his dad, had helped Pearl with building her a spaceship. Then there was that time he helped built robots with Pearl and Peridot and that time he had to help build a drill for the Cluster, but apart from that, he still wouldn't call his self that. 

It didn't take him long to leave. The tools eventually started blending in together and he left out just twenty minutes after. 

The next shop he went in, he didn't know what it was. On the window was the word **Karate** but he saw the drawing of swords and nunchucks and thought it would be something that had to do with his karate movies that he loved watching. 

He was wrong. 

There were people sparring; throwing punches, kicks and throwing each other on the ground.

He quickly _and politely_ turned down a class and excused himself from the owner of the place and headed out. 

This 'Karate' would be the last thing he needed. He didn't need anything that would trigger any memories of him fighting any of the Homeworld Gems or him.. going to far with Jasper.

The next one was a place called the **Barbershop** and when he took a look inside, he found out it was a place where people get there hair cut. And a place where you could also watch a movie as there was a wide screen t.v in a corner playing a movie he'd never seen before. The owner had asked if he was there looking for a haircut and he quickly clarified that he was just taking a look around the city. The man still offered a tourist/ first time haircut but Steven kindly told the man that he would keep that in mind. 

_How would I even look with a haircut?_

He shivered at the thought of it.

Another shop he went to was a little farmers market. He decided to grab a few fruits, (in which he was very thankful for Peridot to show him how to properly pick fruits. The little green Gem learning a great deal about vegetables and fruits as well as different plants and flowers for the past two years), frozen yogurt, vanilla protein powder, fresh cinnamon sticks, hemp protein and almond milk _unsweetened_.

Now with perishables on him, he decided to call it a day for travelling about in the area (even though it was barely pass two o'clock.)

There weren't many more things to see in the area and he thought of possibly going back. At least for the Farmers Market and he could check out the rest of the two, three other stores they had. But he wondered if out of those three stores, if one of them was a bakery or a pizza place? Throughout the States he would travel around cities and look for these main two shops. And when he did, he would always reminisce on a different memory or two of he and the Gems or he and Connie or he and Pee Dee or he and Lars and Sadie or he and the Pizzas at those places.

He really wondered how they were all doing right now..

He set foot back to the house and proceeded to walk back down the few blocks and towards the metro station. Once he gets back to the house, he would just put the food in the fridge and head back upstairs as not to disturb anyone. Then he could use that time to actually write and plan out what to do for the next day and _really_ get his sightseeing going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who live in New York, New York (I don't, I just visited) but we all know about those dancers on those subway trains 👌 So I played a bit of homage to that (even though yes, the setting is more or less Los Angeles) 😝 Not sure if they do it there. I hadn't came across any when I was there. So.. maybe? 🤷


	4. Salt and Pepper

Steven opened the front door and stepped in. He could hear pots and pans in the kitchen and Mrs. Proud talking about getting some more parsley and basil. "We also need some more cilantro." she added.

_Maybe I should say something.._

There was a sound of a fridge door opening. "And also some potatoes." said Penny.

There was that little jolt in his heart as he heard her voice. 

_She's back from football practice!_

He closed and locked the door behind him and shuffled on to the opening of the kitchen. The mother and daughter were in the kitchen preparing food. Trudy had a tray in her hands and Penny was holding a few tomatoes and a zucchini. The two of them at an angle to see Steven from out the corner of their eyes. 

They both turned to look at him.

"Uh.. hello." he greeted with a nervous smile.

"Good afternoon, Steven." , "Hey Steven." Trudy and Penny said over one another.

They didn't sound nervous at all. And their voices were very welcoming. 

But he also noticed..

_She said my name correctly._

_Then.. her mom must've corrected her?_

_Which means that they were talking about me at some point!!_

_Oh no! Was it a good talk or a bad talk?_

"I see you've brought some groceries." said Trudy.

"Uh, yeah." he lifted the bag up. "It's not much. Just some milk and protein stuff and yogurt. And.. a little bit of fruit and some cinnamon sticks." 

"Sounds like someone has found the farmers market." Penny joked. She placed the tomatoes and the zucchini in a white bin in the sink. 

"Penny." she said lightly. She looked back over at Steven. "Glad to see you found a place you could shop at." 

"Yeah." he agreed. "There are a couple of places that I liked. Like that flower shop and the barber shop with a flat screen t.v. And surprisingly to me, it DIDN'T have motion smoothing. I may not be planning to cut any of my hair" he touched his curls. "but I definitely wouldn't mind watching a movie there." 

The two found that funny and chuckled. Thinking that the boy made a joke.

Though he didn't know why.

 _What was so funny? Me not getting a haircut? Or me wanting to watch a movie at the barber shop instead?_

"I know, right?" Penny joked along with him. _Or thought she was_. "Maybe you should. With how much money it is just to get movie tickets at the Wiz Theater, you might as well save half of your money and go watch it there instead." 

"I'll be here for a small time, so maybe I should." Steven made another mental note of remembering to check the barber shop's show times and what's exactly playing there.

There was more laughter from the two.

And he still didn't know why.

"Steven, why are you still standing over there? We're not going to bite." said Trudy. "You can put your things in the fridge."

His legs didn't move until after a two second lag and he walked into the area. Trudy moved out of his way and placed the tray on the table. Penny turned the water on and started rinsing of the tomatoes and the zucchini.

Steven put the milk and yogurt in the fridge and closed it. "Where could I put the rest of this?" 

"I can make some space for you." she said. She went over to a spot on the counter. She pushed to the side and rearranged a few spice containers around. "There you go." 

"Thanks." he started taking out the rest of his things. He placed them as close as he could to each other and he stacked the two protein powders on top of each other. He wanted to use as little space as he could. He still felt a bit funny sharing a house with people. 

"Also, Steven." he placed the last pieces of fruit, a hand of bananas, on the counter beside the three oranges and cinnamon sticks. He turned back around. "We were wondering if you would like to have dinner with us?" his heart made another jolt. "We have a lot of ingredients to make a few vegetarian and vegan dishes." 

Penny turned the faucet off. "I'm not even gonna lie, I didn't even think it would be a lot of options for vegetarians. But those recipes didn't look half bad." she began taking the tomatoes and the single zucchini out of the bin. "I was checking them all on my phone." 

_Dinner.. with them! It would be the opposite of being in the diner this morning. I would actually be_ eating _with people._

"Yeah, sure." he tried to not sound too overly enjoyed. "I would love that." 

"Great." she grinned. "We were planning on making vegetable lasagna with vegan garlic bread."

"Wow! Now that sounds delicious." 

"Penny, go in the fridge and take out two red peppers, four cloves of garlic, two onions and some of that baby spinach." she went to the other side of the kitchen while Penny walked pass him. She opened the fridge and started taking out the necessary ingredients and Trudy opened a cabinet on the top shelf. She grabbed an extra virgin olive oil bottle. 

Should he just leave them to it? He felt weird again, just going upstairs and having them do all of the work. He didn't want to seem like he was lazy. But he also genuinely wanted to help them out. He missed cooking. He missed cooking with Pearl and making little TubeTube videos with Lion. 

Penny was coming back from the fridge with everything in her hand and Trudy was holding two boxes of pasta noodles. She placed them and the bottle of extra virgin olive oil next to the tray. 

"Did you guys want any help?"

They looked up from what they were doing. "No, you don't have to do that." Steven was starting to realize that the mother simply always talked gently like that. Like honey.

But then he was quickly reminded about this morning and he instantly dismissed the thought.

"You're our guest." she explained. "And as hosts we want to prepare _you_ dinner."

"Y-Yeah?" he watched her take out a small bottle of basil seasoning from another cabinet. "I just thought I would ask. I.. had nothing else to do and.." _Just tell her, Universe. Use your words._ "I miss cooking. I really enjoy it. But being out on the road, you don't get to do that much." then he added, with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "You don't get to do that at all." he frowned.

Penny and her mom exchange glances and Trudy set the basil down and presented him with a serene smile. "Well, Steven. If you really want to cook, because you simply want to, then you can." 

And just like that. Her smile, the warmth of her voice and her giving him the O.K to cook with them, he was already cheesing from ear to ear and she must've thought the look on his face was funny as she began to laugh. "I see you _really_ really like cooking." 

"I love it." he admitted. And his smile faltered just faintly as he recollected. "I used to cook a lot with my family." he went over to the sink to wash his hands. "We would even, okay mainly it was me when I was younger, but we would even make up random recipes to try out." he turned the faucet water off. "There was this one thing we used to make, where we put pancakes and popcorn" the two Prouds exchanged confused looks. "and whip cream and chocolate syrup and a strawberry or two on top of the stack." he giggled. "Oh, it was SO sweet. The only two who were able to stomach all of that was Amethyst and I." oh, how he missed her.. 

"Awee." her voice practically sung. "Is Amethyst your sister?" 

That was a good question and it was a question he'd asked his self during his inner turmoil before the road trip and before his last, huge, Godzilla outburst and a question he'd asked himself a couple times while out on the road when he would reminisce about them. 

"Yeah." he chuckled. Remembering her eating her slice of the food along with the plate and how she ate the fork right after. "She's my older sister."

But those thoughts were of memories from years ago before he became more health conscious and before he started making his way towards being less of his younger self and steering away from being such a child and more of a responsible young adult. And so did Amethyst, though she still kept her fun traits.

Before he would find Together Breakfast and making those foods a bit juvenile and inane. But now he would do anything to have another day like that with the Gems. To make something as wacky as possible and have a morning to eat together. 

He really did miss them. Maybe he should give them a call sometime this week.

"She and I would eat all kinds of things. Well, until I got older and I started eating healthier. And then I became a vegetarian." 

Penny slid over a cutting board towards him. "You can start with the tomatoes." she handed him a knife.

"And she continued to eat whatever she wanted is what you're saying?" Trudy asked with a smirk.

Steven started dicing the tomatoes with precise decision and accuracy and speed. He pushed the finished product aside with the blade of the knife and started with the next one. Penny slid another cutting board towards her and placed the zucchini in front of her. "Nnyeah?" he diced the second one up with complete ease and pushed the contents. "But she can do that all she wants. She _is_ a G-." he stopped abruptly and tried playing it off with a cough. And he turned his head clearing his throat in his shoulder to save him time to think. "very active person. So she's healthy in that aspect." _Phewf.._

Though he did feel pretty bad dismissing Amethyst like that.

"Looks like she's trying to meet the game halfway." Penny said in jest. She cut both ends off of the zucchini and began peeling it.

"Heh, yeah." Steven pushed the contents away and began cutting the fourth tomato and she noticed he was running out of room. "You can put them in that bowl." she pointed and he grabbed the bowl and pulled it towards him. He pushed the diced tomatoes in and went for the next tomato.

"That's better than nothing." Trudy came over and filled a pan up with water. "I've been trying to get her father to eat healthy and stay active for years now. And he _still_ isn't doing that." she scoffed as she placed the noodles on the stove. "The man thinks chasing around the twins is exercise enough." she clicked the nob around. "And he barely even does that." she muttered.

Steven laughed. "I remember when I got my father to exercise just once. And that was years ago. He hasn't done it since." 

But then again.. it _was_ mainly me just being a coach and telling him and other people what to do.. Also, I was looking to train him and my friends for all the wrong reasons.. And then I guess I just forgot about exercising altogether until a few months ago. 

Maybe my dad would've continued if I had continued the training as well?

"Men." she shook her head. "They don't want anything that has to do with their health." she put a few dashes of salt into the pot.

"Maybe you could try talking to him again?" 

She snorted. "Talking. to Oscar.. again?" she sounded condescending.

He stopped in mid dice. "Yeah." he turned to her. "Maybe this time it'll be different. If you tell him that you're worried about his health and tell him how you really feel." Penny slowed her peeling and looked at her mom with an inquisitive look. Then she gestured her eyebrows at him. "perhaps he'll listen to you this time. Maybe this time you can change his mind. Just talk to him again. Talking always seem to work." 

Penny kept the look but with a touch of surprise to her features now, though her mom kept her calm, tranquil features with an appreciative smile. "Maybe I will, Steven." 

While still peeling the zucchini, Penny was looking at the boy as he finished the dicing with two more chops. He slid the pieces into the bowl. Finished with the tomatoes, she watched as he picked up the pepper and placed it on the cutting board-

"Owch." she sucked in some air. She'd cut herself with the knife. 

"Are you okay, honey?" Trudy asked. She dumped the rest of the baby spinach in another bowl. 

"Yeah." and Steven looked at her turning her hand over, showing a small cut along her fingertip. "It's not that bad."

"Here, I can help with that." Steven took her hand and licked his lips-

-and immediately stopped his self.

_Universe! What are you doing!_

_Uh..!!_

He thought quickly, catching a roll of paper towels beside them. He ripped a sheet off and turned the faucet on. He damped it and placed it on her finger.

Hopefully nobody caught him licking his lips..

Penny did seem a bit taken aback, but pulling his hand straight away now would be even more awkward. 

So he kept the paper towel on her finger, putting a bit of pressure on it. Then he lifted it up, folded it and placed a clean side back on her finger.

Penny and her mom exchanged peculiar, shocked glances yet again.

"There we go." he lifted the damp napkin from her finger. The red cut laying _unkissed and unhealed_ on her finger. 

She chuckled, though to him it sounded a bit timorous. 

Not to mention the way she slowly pulled her hand back away from him.

Maybe he made her uncomfortable just now..

 _Did_ he make her uncomfortable just now?!

Of course he did!

A random stranger just grabbing her hand and cleaning her cut! Of course that was weird to her! And maybe even to her mother too! 

And they probably even saw him licking his lips too..

Thanks." she said softly.

"Y, yeah. No problem." 

There was a short two seconds of silence before she deadpanned. "I still have to wrap my finger up though."

"Oh, uh. Right. Makes sense."

She walked away from him and he found himself looking at her as she walked out the kitchen. 

Then he realized that the mother was still in the kitchen as well.

He turned to her.

 _Was she looking at me looking at her daughter?!_

_Oh, I know she DEFINITELY thinks I'm some bad person now!_

And he did feel his cheeks start heating up in embarrassment. 

But the mother was still keeping her pleasant look. "That was very kind of you." she said. 

"Oh.. yeah." he wanted to say more, to explain his self. But he didn't want to make things more awkward.

He also didn't want to lie any more than he thought he would have to.

She came over and poured some water into the pan. "You can put the peppers inside of the same bowl." 

"Okay." and he was happy that she didn't add any more into that particular conversation.

She walked back over and sat the pan on another burner while Steven started dicing the last bell pepper, ignoring how soft Penny's hand was in his. 

  
  


Penny had came back five minutes later with a Band-Aid wrapped around her finger and she placed a plastic glove over her hand and the three of them continued preparing the food with them having small talk (that Steven noticed they'd steered away from asking any family or any questions deemed too personal, which he was very thankful for) and they asked him a lot of travelling or food related questions. Like which State and city he liked the most, what was his least favorite? Is Chicago is as windy as they make it out to be? Do New Yorkers really have a thing for bagels? And what was his favorite vegetarian dish? What are some good vegetation deserts? Amongst other questions he enjoyed answering. 

And everything was going great, until the dad came in, already in a bad mood. "Bad news, Trudy." he closed the door behind him and locked it. "Gill Lerman didn't want anything that had to do with my Proud Snacks. He threw the bag down, stepped on it. And everything!" he whined. "That man even laughed in my face, threw the rest of my delicious proud snacks in his fire place and had the authorities escort me out!" he walked to the opening of the kitchen. "And that was AFTER he cut my tie." he stopped in mid complaint. Looking at the teenage boy who was.. _still_ in his house.. AND next to his precious daughter, Penny. 

His face puckered down in a sour scowl. "AND on top of that we still have some guy in the house" he walked up to him. "RIGHT next to my daughter. Git! Git!" he fanned his hands, shooing Steven off and he backed away. 

"Oscar, pleaaaase." Trudy rubbed between her eyes. "Let's not start this again." 

"Well IF you want me to stop "starting things up again", then we need to let _him_ " he pointed at Steven and the boy frowned. "pack his things. and leave."

"Please.. Mr. Proud. Can we just talk?"

"The ONLY way I'll talk to _you_ is between the screen of my front door and you walking down our walkway and away from this house." 

"Okay, THAT'S it." Trudy banged her hand on the table causing Steven to jump. "We're ending this RIGHT now." she stomped towards her husband.

He folded his arms. "Trudy. There is NOTHING you can do. OR. say that'll change my mind about this. Because THAT boy. is. going-" she grabbed him, pinning his arms to the side and she lifted him up. "OSCAR!"

_Whoa.. she's strong.._

"T, Trudy!! Let me down!!" he kicked out his legs.

"Oscar!" she said firmly. "All we've been hearing is nothing but you WHINING and COMPLAINING and BICKERING about this boy being here!! He's staying, whether you like it or not and we WILL show him the utmost respect as our guest and this WILL be the first AND last time I'll give you this warning!" she squeezed him tighter. "Now. We've been preparing a delicious dinner and we WILL enjoy it AND have a good time!" she brought his trembling face towards hers. Her face in a tight, ferocious scowl and Steven was thankful that he wasn't in the man's shoes. "You ruin this for us" and she growled out through her clenched teeth. "and _you'll_ be the one walking down the walkway and away from this house." 

"B, but Trudy." he sputtered.

Steven thought her saw fire in the woman's eyes and he heard a low, animalistic growl come from her. 

"O, okay! Okay! Just let me down!!" 

She let him down, though it definitely wasn't gently. "Now wash up and GET yourself ready." she hollered out sharply. "and GET the twins from their room. Dinner is almost ready." 

"Yes honey." he ran away and tripped over his foot and scrambled up the stairs.

Trudy turned around with a completely different look. Her face bright and happy and her expression softened and tranquil. "Alright, you two." she smiled. "Let's set up the table."

Penny walked over to the cabinet and Steven followed her, still just a bit startled at the woman with such strength, snapping that guy down to size and then..turning around and acting as if nothing happen. 

The three of them set the table up and the husband came back down with the twins. The boy running into the kitchen while he held the girl in his arm. And Steven noticed he'd changed out if his suit to a more comfortable sleeping wear look.

BeBe ran up to Trudy. "Momma!" he grinned.

"Hey sweety~." she said gingerly.

Penny picked him up and set him down in the high chair and beside his sister.

Steven didn't know where to sit.. and as if Trudy had read his mind, she said "Feel free to sit anywhere you want."

"But did you need help carrying the lasagna?"

"I got it honey. Just sit down over there." 

Steven complied and as he made it towards the table, he saw the father glowering at him. His arms out and front of him and on the table and his hands clasped together.

Steven slid his chair back and sat down gingerly. Finding a seat across from the twins. He scooted the chair up once, all while trying not to make direct eye contact with the man. 

Penny sat the vegan garlic bread on the table and sat down in front of her father and Trudy placed the tray of lasagna in the middle of the table and sat down in between her husband and Steven.

And just as he and the family sat down together, he felt the awkwardness set in again. But he had a feeling that it was only in his mind. That _he_ was making his own self feel vexatious as if the situation was going to be dicey. And that's what he felt was going to happen despite of the family being quiet and now putting the food on their plates. "Don't be shy, Steven." Trudy beckoned with her voice. 

Penny had scooped up a miniature square and placed it on BeBe's plate. Then she did the same for CeCe before giving the brother and sister one half of the slice of bread she'd broken in half. 

Steven picked up two pieces of bread with the tongs and cut his self a _not too big not too small_ slice of lasagna.

Oscar was already taking a bite out of his food. And his sour expression from the little contretemps from earlier was melting away with every bite and his face softened to a more satisfied countenance. "Hm." he looked down at the lasagna. "You know, Trudy. This isn't half bad." he took a few more quick, hungry bites, putting a dent into his rectangle." 

She dabbed at her mouth. "Glad you like it." she gestured at the boy sitting beside her. "Steven helped us."

The man nearly choked. The food just touching his lips. 

"He's a natural." she added.

And the sour expression and glare was back. "Oh.." he brought the food back up to his lips with reluctance. "Needs more salt." he slid the noodles of the fork and chewed it robotically.

A salt shaker flew towards him, hitting him right between the eyes and he hollered. 

There was a squeal and a cheer from the twins. 

"Okay. Now which one of you did that?" 

The twins pointed at the other.

"They were _just_ giving you what you wanted." Trudy said sarcastically. She picked up the salt shaker and placed it back on the table (and away from the twins). 

"Careful what you ask for, dad." Penny joked with her.

Oscar mumbled under his breath as he rubbed at his forehead. He took another bite of his lasagna.

"So, Steven." now _he_ almost choked. Being called on the spot. "you told us a bit about how you liked to cook." she tried breaking more of the ice between he and the family. "What else do you like to do?"

Good question. Apart from helping people and ignoring his own problems, what else did he like to do? He remembers playing video games and hanging out with Connie and Pee Dee and going to the arcade and the movies and going to Funland. And he remembers spending a lot of time with the Gems at the temple. 

But that was when he was fourteen and even a bit up to fifteen. And despite of dismantling the planets he still had time to have a bit of fun. But once he reached that fifteen and a half mark, something started to change and he didn't want to do those things anymore. He was not only busy working to undo the Diamonds' mistakes, but he was aldo getting older and he needed to start acting like it. That's what he was telling himself. And once he turned sixteen, that whole thing with Spinel happened and he figured he would always have his work cut out for him and he completely changed altogether. He'd stopped all of those things completely. 

But maybe he tried growing up too fast?

Or maybe his stress and anxiety was already taking over before it started to sky rocket a couple months after he officially came back to Earth?

Still.. what was he going to tell her? That he used to do a lot of fun things and then stopped because of his personal problems? 

He cleared his throat and acted like he was still chewing his food to give him a bit more time to think of something.

He "swallowed". "Uh, I do like the beach." he missed going out to the beach side in front of their temple. "And I like going to the arcade and the amusement park. I used to do that a lot when I was younger." then he added one more, something more personal. "And uh..I like singing too." he shrugged meekly. 

"Oooooo, Penny." Trudy smiled. "Looks like we have another singer at the table."

He looked over at her. "You sing too?"

"Yeah, my girls and I are in this group called L.P.D.Z. We work for Wizard Kelly and we go on tours and perform at his basketball tournaments." 

"Woww." Steven felt himself turn around in his seat to properly face her. "What's it like touring? My dad used to tour with this one group before they broke up." he wondered how they were all doing now..

"Fun, tiring. Amazing, nerve wrecking. All of that comes with being in a singing group, but I enjoy it. Especially when we play at bigger events. More people, more cheering and more showing off." she gloated.

He wondered if she'd ever performed in Beach City before. He's been to Beach-a-Polooza and other concerts and events, but he never came across a group called L.P.D.Z. 

He nodded as if she knew exactly how she felt. Though he didn't. He'd only recorded Sadie Killer and the Suspects just once during their touring. "Wish I could've been there to see one of your performances." 

"Well, we have one coming up-" she started to offer before her dad spoke up with an interjection. "That will NOT happen. UH uh."

"But, dad. I didn't even-"

"I know what you were going to say. And I will NOT have him coming to see you and your little hot tail friends at some scandalous, perverted concert." then he said with such contempt. "It's bad enough your mother signed the papers giving you the okay to walk out there half dressed and singing to a bunch of hormonal guys." 

"Oscar, you act like she has on a bikini. And half the time it's with kids and their parents." 

He waved a fork in the air. "Yeahhh, that's what you tell yourself Trudy. But _I_ know what's going on. And it ain't right." he took an angry bite off the fork and picked up his garlic bread and took an angrier bite out of it. 

She ignored him. "The concert is in three weeks." she told Steven. "I know you said you may be leaving in two weeks, but if you plan on staying longer, you're welcomed to come." 

The boy glanced over to the angry dad before looking to her. "T, thanks." he cleared his throat. He looked away from the husband practically burning holes in his forehead. The lasagna below him looked interesting to stare at..

"So, Steven. You said you liked to sing. Have your ever performed before?" Penny asked.

"A few times, but it wasn't.. anything professional like you do. I was in a couple bands but it was more of a one time thing with them." with one band he'll never see again unless he picks up that time travelling hourglass again..

No wait, he broke that. That's right.

"And I performed once when a friend of mind didn't want to do it anymore and I filled in for her. And almost a year ago, I performed with my dad."

"Sounds like you have a bit of experience." said Trudy.

"Mm." he tried for another shoulder shrug again. 

"Oh, stop being so modest." she grinned. "You should let us hear you sometime."

"Uh.. sure? I don't mind." and he didn't. He missed singing and performing in front of people. "I do enjoy performing in front of people."

Trudy was about to say something until Oscar, once again, spoke back up with a "Oh, so you're one of them people who's trying to be the next big thing." he grunted. "Is that why you're here trying to Sofa Dive your way around to L.A?" 

"Oscar." Trudy gave him a warning.

"N, no. I just.. wanted to tour the States. To, find myself, I guess." 

"At sixteen? What are you doing driving across the States talking about "trying to find yourself"? Most people haven't even found their selves and they're well into their twenties and thirties." 

"Oscar, some people just like starting early."

"But at _sixteen_ Trudy? That doesn't sound right at all. No. What that _really_ means, is that something happened. with a family member. Or something big must've happened for a sixteen year old to just up and leave his home and travel. Otherwise, this boy would be at home and getting ready for High School in the fall." 

"That has nothing to do with us, Oscar."

"It does when he's in our house." he turned his scowl to Steven. "Tell me. Why'd you leave? Parents wanted you to find a job? They didn't give you the pair of shoes you wanted? They wanted you to stop coming home late after partying? Must be a reason why you left your folks."

That hit.. entirely close to home.

And he hated to admit that he was actually right. With everything that happened to him indirectly from his mom and directly from the Diamonds and then he had that fallout with his dad and crashed the car.. And then he shattered Jasper and directly after tried shattering White Diamond.. and then corrupted his own self and nearly endangered his family and friends and could've possibly damaged Beach City if it wasn't for those he loved stopping them..- 

Yeah.. things happened and he felt that he needed to figure his self out. Both as a Gem and as a human. As Steven Universe. His mom had left because of what she'd been through and she found herself and his dad left his parents because of how they were treating them and he found himself. And, he figured he could do the same thing. He was just like them.. 

So when the dad put it that way.. he couldn't help but see how right he was.. Sure, his reasons on why he left were wrong, but he _did_ have reasons why he left. 

"...pry into other people's business like that!" Trudy scolded him. "Steven, honey. You don't have to tell us."

And he was thankful that she intervened again. Because what would he would've said? Where would he even start? When he was extremely disappointed that they discontinued Cookie Cats or when he summoned his shield for the first time while eating one? Or would he go thousands of years back to whom his mother emerged?

"Fine, Trudy.. But it's usually the teens not getting along with the parents that makes them go along with these types of adventurous ideas.

Okay.. even though he didn't know what to say on his reasons why he left, he at _least_ had to clear up one thing the dad kept assuming."

"That doesn't give us the right to ask about his family."

"My dad and I are on really good terms." Steven interrupted. "We're really close and I love him and my mo-" 

"your mom." Oscar said over him.

"My mom" Steven said again. "died while.. giving birth to me.." Trudy and Penny both looked extremely guilty. "So.. I never got to meet her.." and he started aimlessly picking at the lasagna in front of him.

And the family, even the kids were quiet, say for Oscar who didn't seem unfazed about it. The man going back to his food and eating as if Steven had announced that his mom was alive and well.

But after five long, tense seconds, the mother spoke up, not wanting to draw out any more uncomfortable feelings from her guess with a more general statement than anything, though she meant every bit of it. "I know she would be very proud of you." 

Would she?

He managed to save the world (more than once) with the help of his family and friends and he managed to stop the Diamonds' tyranny. Again, with the help of his family and friends. 

But more so him. 

So.. maybe she would? 

He still wasn't so sure on how he felt about her his self..

That was before and still is, such a touchy, confusing subject.

"Maybe." he said eventually. And he saw the guilt-ridden looks on Trudy and Penny's faces as if they had anything to do with his past. 

The last thing he wanted was for them to feel that way or uneasy.

He picked up a breadstick and tried saying as casually as he could. "And.. my mom was also a singer. So, I guess I got that from her." _along with her gem and.. strong, and sometimes volatile powers that I still can't one hundred percent control yet without feeling any negative emotions._

He ignored the thought. "My whole family likes to sing. and dance." he added. 

That seemed to lessen the unsettling mood and he saw the mother beginning to smile. "So it's never a dull moment."

That's for sure. It was always something going on. And he missed that too. "Yeah. It was pretty fun." 

There was an instant lull in the conversation, though just like Trudy, Steven also didn't want to drag the dinner under the tense, nervous atmosphere and swallowed the food after a few bites. "So, uh.. you asked what I liked to do for fun.. Mmm.. what does everyone else like to do?"

"Well," Trudy began softly. "I love my job. I work at a veterinary clinic helping sick animals. And of course I love taking care of my family."

 _Wow.. So she takes care of animals.. And if I can remember correctly from Connie, taking care of sick people (like her mother) and animals is a lot of hard work and years of college. So she is definitely a smart and diligent person._

How easy it is to simply kiss something back to being new and whole again like he could.. but to actually study and work extra hard to help people in a non magical way? Now that was even more special and amazing. He gave her even more recognition.

And helping and loving the family was also a great thing too.

"And you already know I like football." Penny joined in and how she sounded, she was definitely pleased with herself. "And you already know I like to sing and that I'm in a singing group. And I like shopping and hanging out with my best friends, who's all apart of the singing group, by the way."

The three of them started to drift their eyes towards Oscar, but the man only continued to eat his food.

"So.. shopping?" Wow.. he was so articulate~ 

"Yeah." said Penny. She handed CeCe another piece of garlic bread and placed the other on BeBe's plate. "It's this huge mall in the middle of Moranye County with over one hundred and fifty shops."

"Sounds like a lot."

"It is but, once you go there as many times as my friends and I do, it starts to all blend in and look the same." 

And that got a laugh out of him that she wasn't expecting. "Sounds like me when I'm traveling. Everything just looks the same when you're driving in your car for months on end." 

"Sounds to me like you need a change of pace." 

Funny she mentioned that. Because that's what he wanted to do. Finally settle down in a city that he really liked and just, start a new life there. 

Also, she said it so.. what was the word.. but it sounded very enticing.

"I do." he agreed. "But I need more than just a new city to look around in." _I need to find people to talk to.. or else I would simply be all alone and having to experience everything by myself. Like the last few months on the road.._ "I need to start finding like-minded people to actually be with." he hoped he didn't sound desperate. But her expression didn't change after hearing that from him. "Well you _are_ in Wizville. There's plenty of ways to find like-minded people. There's the recs, there's going down to the basketball court" _That's the one where they throw the almond shaped ball into the hoop, right?_ "..ere's going to museums and signing up for art and, other hobbies that are usually posted all around shops and poles." 

Steven nodded. "I'll definitely give them a looksee. It would be nice to finally hang out with some people and take a look around a city like a local and not a tourist." he joked. 

"Agreed." said Penny. And she gave him this.. look? A nice smile that definitely reached her eyes that he that were very pretty. But it was something else to the look that he could just be imagining. "It's always nice to be with people you enjoy being with, even if it is for a short amount of time in a city." 

..He could've been imagining her saying that for a reason.. right? There weren't any lines to be read in between.

There was a forced sound of her father clearing his throat. Penny gave him an "innocent" smile showing all teeth. 

He didn't return the gesture.

"You might also want to look up things that are happening in the area." Trudy suggested. "There are basketball games, baseball games, 5K walks for various charities, parades, festivals and other events that might interest you." 

How did he NOT do even ONE of these things?! All he'd been doing was going to landmarks and tourist shops, a few museums and looking at various foliage and landscapes. But, nothing like what she and Penny suggested. Though one time he did end up being in one particular city where a festival was going on. And that was fun. And he was still on that adrenaline of driving around the country, so it was right around the five week mark. 

"I want to try and do every one." he smiled genuinely. 

"Well that could be a lot on your plate. Especially if you want to go to L.A too. But you're young. You can do it." she encouraged. 

"I'll do my research." he cheesed.

  
  


The dinner went by well, aside from her dad and his little barbs. But they were instantly met with a stomp on the foot or an elbow to the rib from his wife.

And eventually, he got the memo.

After they'd eaten, he went upstairs mumbling to himself about why Steven, a shady teenage boy, was still staying at their place.

Trudy had cleaned the twins faces off and taken them out of their high chairs and to the couch in the living room. There she put on a pre school show of a green dinasour called, what Trudy had told him, was called Thingy and that a lot of kids enjoyed it. He asked her if she ever heard of Pupcopter, which was a spin-off of Dogcopter and was aimed more towards little kids. She told him no and he wondered if it was just a show that was played and known along the East Coast, but he made another mental note to rent the Pupcopter movie for them. 

He and Penny were placing the last few dishes in the sink when her mother was coming back into the kitchen. "Mrs. Proud. Did you need any help with the dishes?" 

He noticed they looked quit shocked again at yet something else that he'd said and he wondered if he'd been saying things a certain way which was why they'd been exchanging shocked or surprised or skeptic looks..Was it the lingo or something? Was it his Delmarva accent? 

"What, you like cleaning too?"

"Penny."

"No? Well, it's not like it's the first thing that comes to mind." _Or the second thing.. or the third thing.. or the forth.. or.. the fifth.._

_Good thing they've never seen my room.._

_Or when the Gems would just leave Amethyst and I alone at the temple for just a mere few hours.._

"But I thought you two could use some help."

Penny raised her eyebrow at him. "I have to say Steven.. I've never seen a boy so helpful." then she paused and added. "Well, apart from Johnny Lovely, though we still don't know if he was actually real or not."

_Who's that?_

_And what did she mean by that?_

She turned the faucet on. "A guy doing the dishes without being asked to do them? Now that's definitely a first."

 _So was that it? With the looks? They've been borderline skeptic because I've been too helpful? But, that's how I am.._

_And.. that was the right thing to do. I'm living in their home. The least thing I could do is help them cook and help wash the dishes._

_And.. and also to wash the one that would need most work on._

He grabbed the empty tray with the remnants of lasagna crusted and stuck inside it.

And.. more looks from the mother and daughter..

_Of course.._

  
  


The dishes were cleaned in no time with Steven's help and as he was placing the last dish in the tray, Trudy was making her way back to the living room to check on the twins.

Penny dried her hands off with a napkin and threw it in the trash and started walking away. "Thanks again."

He dried his hands _on his shirt_. "Anytime. Or uh.. anytime.. that. I'm here?"

Why was he still so awkward around people..

"I get what you mean." she said casually and stepped out the kitchen.

Trudy was playing with the twins and Penny walked up to the stairs after saying a nice "Night, mom."

He _also_ missed saying 'Goodnight' to everyone. The Gems, his dad and Connie. And from time to time, Lars when he would visit him through this hair or through a portal that either Lars or Lion would make for him. Or, via crystal pad.

"Night, Mrs. Proud. And thanks for the dinner." 

"Goodnight, honey. And my pleasure." she rolled the ball to BeBe and he rolled it over to CeCe who rolled it back to their mother. A nice little tune of Thingy's theme song playing in the t.v beside them.

He went up to his room and closed the door.

Not bad.

Today had been pretty good and he got to know more about the family. And that was a plus.

And now, he can just lay down and relax and, surf TubeTube.

He kicked off his flip flops and sat down on the bed and scooted his self up to the wall. He made a quick check of his FaceSpace account and went to the last video he posted. Connie, his dad, Sadie, Pearl, Amethyst and a mixture of Beach City residents and Gems liked, commented and shared the video. 

**Connie M.: This is called Breakdancing, Pearl.** She'd replied to one of Pearl's, according to his notification, eight different comments.

_Oh.. so that's what it's called.._

**GregUniverse@Delmarva.LOA.com: Your old msn used to dothis backing the eighties. Ah, takes meback.**

**Ruby1fromRubySquad: But you can't do it NOW old man!! Hahahahaha!!** Doc replied to Greg.

**Sadie Killer(retired): That's so cool Steven! Where were you? Also, lol, I remember when Lars tried to breakdance and he ended up falling into the dirty mop bucket water.**

**Amethyst Facet-5 Cut-8XG: I don't see what's the big deal here. I can do that with my spin dash.**

**GregUniverse@Delmarva.LOA.com: Dod s9meone comment onmy message?% There's too many common tents on here. I cantfind it#**

Steven chuckled as he read more of the comments on his post before going back up and replaying back to the one's that needed replying to. Mainly the rest of Pearl's seven messages, his dad's messages, a separate message from Connie, and to Sadie and Amethyst's comments and to scold Doc lightly on throwing a jab at his father like that. But also remembering to put a little emoji face so he wouldn't have the hothead, literal Gem think he was seriously mad at him.

Then he scrolled further down and replied to other comments from both humans and Gems alike until he heard a knock on the door.

He stopped in mid type on Nephrite's comment. "Come in."

The door opened.

His heart jolted in his chest. "Hey, Penny." he laid his phone on the bed.

"Hey, what's up?"

He heard a few bings from his notifications. "Nothing. Just, on the phone." 

He looked at her. She had that friendly smile on her face. "Just came in to ask if you wanted to hang out with me and some friends tomorrow." 

It took every once of him to not jump from his leaning spot on the wall. "Really?" he could hear the giddiness trying to hide within his voice. But he still heard it. And he knew she heard it too.

"Yeah. You said you wanted to hang out with some locals in the city, right?" her smile turned into a smirk. 

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Well if you aren't doing anything tomorrow, you should come hang with us. _We'll_ show you how we do it down in Wizville." 

That is what he wanted..

And if she wasn't so bad then maybe her friends weren't either?

And it wasn't like her friends were some Pro Homeworld Gems or anything-

He shook those thoughts from his head. He leaned up from the wall. "I would like to join you and your friends." he would _love_ to join them.

"Okay, cool. We'll head out around one." 

"Sounds great to me." he grinned. "I'll see you then."

She grabbed the doorknob. "Night, Steven."

"Goodnight, Penny."

She closed the door and he leaned back on the wall smiling even wider than before.

This was it! For the first time in months he would be walking around and seeing a new city with other people.

Finally he could share some memories with other people and not be alone on the trip.

And he was going to be hanging out with Penny and her friends.

He couldn't wait. 

No more being bored and lonely while snapping pictures around the town. 

And no more aimlessly wondering around the area already wanting to get out of there and drive over to the next city.

He would be with a group of teens his age and he would finally be doing actual teenage stuff with, actual human teens. 

And this would be the first time ever. Hanging out solely with human beings in a more normal setting and living more on the human side and learning and using more of the other half of his self.

He was finally going to get that for him self.

He was finally going to embrace his human side for once, entirely.

And what an experience that could be.

He couldn't wait for tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, _now_ we'll be seeing a bit more interactions with him and the family and the people in Wizville :3


	5. A different world

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, guys! First, I just want to say thanks for the kudos, comments, subs and bookmarks! Truly appreciate it!! 😙
> 
> Long story short, I was planning on waiting until the reboot came out so I could properly write for the Proud Family series, BUT I wasn't too sure how the series was going to match up with what I wanted to do since this new series could very well be entirely different from the old show. In example, how old they were going to be, if they were still in school, what topics they were going to talk about, etc.
> 
> So, I got as much info as I could from what they said about the new series and I'm just going to forget about the reboot for right now so this'll most likely be canon divergent 🤷🤷
> 
> But hey, this is just a fanfict anyway, so fics can be divergent 👍👍
> 
> Anywho, I'm planning on using proud family episodes to move this fic along and to help Steven with his recovery. 
> 
> With that being said, this fic is also a pretty self indulgent one, but I still hope y'all will like the story :D
> 
> So yeaaahhh, enjoy! ^_^

"MOMMA!!" 

"TRUDY!!!!"

"WHEEEEE!!!" the twins screamed down the hall. 

"TRUDYYYYYYY!!!" 

"MOMMAAAAAAA!!"

Steven sighed. 

_I guess I'm up.._

He stared at the ceiling above him. At first glance he'd been looking at the off white color of the wall, though as his eyes began to focus as his conscious slowly began to wake up from his sleep, he'd noticed subtle rough textures within the paint. 

It sort of reminded him of his own room. 

When he'd first started living with the Gems, his dad had panted the room, with his young help. His dear father had done the best he could do with the paint job and he was kind enough to, of course, give Steven the freedom to paint his own parts of the walls that he could reach. Then his dad would put him on his shoulders so he could reach farther areas of his room. 

The bonding was nice and the paint had smelled of citrus and the day went by with them decorating his very first room he would be in up until he turned sixteen. 

Backtracking from the thought of him leaving the room, the paint of that day, so long ago had resembled the work of this ceiling. 

It had it's flaws that stated that it wasn't done professionally, but it had character.

Just like the room he and his dad worked on so many years ago.

Steven blinked.

He trailed his eyes to the wall beside him to get a better look at the texture of the tiny bubbles within the paint.

It had so much character.

He was only reminded more of his room, his time living in the Crystal Gem temple, his time bonding with his father and the Gems and everyone else in Beach City.

He propped his self on an arm and trailed a finger along the uneven surface. The soft skin of his fingertips pressed along the old finish. 

Even the feel of the irregular exterior felt oddly similar to his room. It was satisfying. It was unsatisfying. It let in a glimpse of happiness inside him. It let in a glimpse of sadness.

He missed those fond, pre-teen, carefree years of his life along with the Gems, his dad, Connie and the townies of Beach City.

Though, with that bittersweet thought, he knew this way was right for him. He had to leave. He had to live and so, he had to leave. Here he was on a path to find himself. To make new memories as his life being human. 

He pressed a finger on a tiny air bubble. He'd nearly caressed it before forcing his finger away. The hand was placed tenderly on the bedsheet.

"TRUDYYYYY!!!"

"OSCAR, KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN! YOU'RE GOING TO WAKE UP OUR GUEST!!"

Steven looked over his shoulder and at the door.

_If only she knew.._

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT WAKING HIM UP! THE BOY NEEDS TO LEAVE ANYWAY! HE WAKES UP NOW, HE LEAVES ON HIS "LITTLE SIGHTSEEING TRIP EARLIER!! AND IN LEHMAN'S TERMS, TRUDY, THAT MEANS, HE LEAVES THIS HOUSE EARLY!" 

"OOOSCAR! WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN!" 

Steven sat up and placed his hands on his lap and over the warm covers. 

The man seemed to hate his guts. 

He seemed to despise him almost as much as Aquamarine and Eyeball and by extension, Bluebird.

Was that even possible?

"..CAUSE I DON'T WANT NOO BOY. IN THIS HOUSE!!"

.. Maybe..

"OSCAR!!!!"

Steven stayed in his bed. As if the mattress and the blankets around him were a fortress of safety or could somehow prevent the man from barging into his room and practically throwing him out the door.

  
  


The yelling lasted only for a few minutes longer before Oscar had said something along the lines of throwing him out the house. 

The statement was met with a squeal of hurt from the man and then, it was silence once more, with the exception of the twins scurrying back and forth in front of his door.

Now what had happened, he didn't know, but he wasn't going to poke his head out his door to find out.

An additional half an hour later of the parents and the twins getting ready as they talked at a reasonable level then with the twins knocking one last thing over downstairs, he heard her mother not so much as yell, but said at a sensible level, "We're heading out, Penny." 

He heard a faint, "Okay, mom." from her room across the hallway. 

There was the sound of the front door being closed, then, it was absolutely silent. 

He could finally hear himself think.

Even so, it wasn't as if he needed time to sulk or reminisce on his past years anyway, which he was beginning to do essentially. 

Being alone with his thoughts at that particular point wouldn't had yieled any positive results.

With his therapy and his time focusing on his self, he was slowly learning the differences and the moments where diving into his own thoughts would be either detrimental or would be of any help. 

An unspecified amount of minutes passed before he finally swung his legs over the side of the bed and as if a switch had tripped in his mind, his brain alerted him about his phone.

He slid his hand under the pillow and grabbed the rectangular device and held it up in front of him. He unlocked the phone and went through his routine of checking his emails and his FaceSpace account and replying back to newer comments on the break dancing video he'd recorded. 

With a single press to the back of his phone, the screen went black and he placed the device back on the bed before getting up.

He raised his arms in the air and stretched to his right, then his left and dropped his arms back down.

This was going to be a good day. 

He was going to try this time.

He'd been getting better at 'trying':

To keep a calm demeanor. 

To ease his mind to prevent it from blowing small things out of proportion.

And most importantly, to keep his mind healthy and happy and to be honest with himself. 

He took a deep breath in and exhaled with a light huff and a restful smile.

He was going to make an attempt and put effort into this day.

  
  


Steven walked over and crouched down near his bag. He unzipped it and immediately realized how wrinkled his shirt was as he was lifting it out of the bag. He reached for his jeans and as he was pulling them out of the knapsack , he noticed that it too, had suffered the same fate. 

He placed the clothes on the bed. 

_Alright._

_Nothing that a small traveller's iron wouldn't fix._

He shuffled through the junky bag and had eventually came across the appliance. He placed it up on the floor and took out his underclothes and a small bag filled with his toiletries.

He got up and made his steps to the door.

At that point, stage fright had latched onto him.

If he were to open this door and Penny opened hers, what would he say to her? 

A simple hello? Good morning? 

Something about football?

Why was it still so difficult to talk to people?

He grabbed the doorknob.

It was now or _later_ and he needed to get ready for today. He didn't want to be late.

So, it had to be now.

He opened the door and the hinges alongside it squeaked softly. 

He looked down the hall and to her door.

It didn't open.

He took light, gingerly steps down the hall and pass her door and to the bathroom.

  
  


He'd made an effort to not take long in the bathroom. Living with Gems who didn't need to use the bathroom, with an exception of Amethyst from time to time, now he had to be more considerate that there were other people who needed the facilities just as much as he did. 

He went back to his room and ironed out his clothes and put them on. Just two small sprits of cologne and a modest amount of hairspray and he left out the room once more. 

Having a healthy breakfast would be ideal. Something not too filling, something healthy, something that would give him energy. 

Like a sports bottle sized protein shake. 

He walked through the entryway of the kitchen and made his way towards the counter when his eyes came across a paper taped on the surface of it and in front of his fruit and cinnamon sticks.

The letter started with a, _Good morning Steven,_

He picked up the letter and read it. 

It was written by Mrs. Proud. According to the letter, she'd made breakfast for the family and had made him vegan pancakes. It was left in the toaster oven for him.

There was a change of plans now. 

The goal was to make something small and something packed with antioxidants and protein, but with Mrs. Proud being thoughtful enough to fix him breakfast that was fit for a vegan, maybe he could skip just one day and eat breakfast that would be best served hot and covered in syrup. 

He placed the letter back down and rubbed his thumb along the tape to reseal it on the countertop and he went to the toaster oven. 

Four flapjacks laying over top of one another with a square piece of butter sitting directly on top. 

He slid his self over towards the microwave. 

Just a bit of heat would do. 

The microwave looked shiny and brand new and unlike the homely one he had at the temple. 

With everything he and Amethyst had put in there, it was a wonder how the microwave never broke. 

Though his head cannon was that Pearl would fix it at night once he and Amethyst were fast asleep. 

The microwave dinged and he took out the plate and went for the first cabinet for the syrup. 

Various seasonings and two virgin olive oil bottles, but no maple. 

He went to the next cabinet and found it and was relieved that he didn't have to rummage through every cabinet to find one. 

Rummaging through cabinets that weren't the ones in the temple was still making him feel a bit uneasy. 

He may had shared facilities, but he was still a guest no less and that's how he still felt, regardless of Mrs. Proud and Penny trying their best to make him feel at home. 

But, the truth was..

He sat down at the dinner table and placed his plate of food, utensils and syrup bottle down. He looked at the empty kitchen without seeing Amethyst balancing plates that she would eat or Pearl coming in from the living room to scold her. He looked through the entryway to the living room and didn't see his dad sitting on the recliner or see Garnet coming in through the front door with another lone, corrupted Gem she'd found or Lion coming in via warp portal and crashing into the couch, or Onion breaking into one of the windows into the living room or Connie walking in as if she'd lived there all her life.

The truth was.. it just _wasn't_ his home. 

He was on the other side of the country and living with a family he'd barely met less than twenty four hours ago. 

Plus, with him on his trip, even the Crystal Temple was more of a come and go spot rather than a home sweet home. 

He was a traveler now and living life on the road with just his self and a car.

He looked from the black screen of the TV showing a sad, lonely boy and he looked down at the food for one. 

He picked up the utensils and began cutting his food. 

The butter had melted down the first pancake and down the sides of the stack and pouring the maple syrup over it made the food look even more appetizing. 

He went for the first bite. 

It was good. It was really good. Delicious. 

He was reminded of his own home cooked meals that Pearl would fix him and he started to wonder how long it actually took for her to learn how to cook food.

He only had faint memories of food getting severely burnt and the smell and the look of thick smoke and the usage of products that weren't fit for human consumption, but it didn't seem like it'd took Pearl too long to learn how to properly cook for a human Gem hybrid child. 

He carried on with his eating and heard the door from upstairs open, then the sound of footsteps. 

The feel of his heart as it picked up just slightly in his chest as he anticipated to see Penny.

The footsteps had made their way closer to him as she made it down the stairs- 

"Hey Steven."

"Hey Penny." he hoped he didn't greet her too fast. The words seemed to had blurted right out and through his teeth. 

His heart pumped harder in his chest.

If he had nearly cut her off with his own, nervous hello, she didn't make it obvious. 

She walked in with Steven immediately noticing, just how beautiful her attire was. Her burgundy skirt, her white top and magenta-red cardigan and her burgundy shoes that complimented her look.

"You ready for a chill day?" she asked. She picked up an unaccompanied plate on the opposite counter. She unwrapped the foil from it. 

"Yeah. Can't wait."

"Cool." she placed the food in the microwave. "My girls should be here in a few more hours." 

Just in a few more hours. 

The slow anticipation was steadily creeping into his skin. 

After the familiar sound of the microwave chimed, Penny took her food out and sat down at the table and placed a cup of orange juice on the table and he realized he hadn't gotten his own self anything to drink.

Getting up now would probably be rude.

She began cutting up her food.

He guided a few more pieces of food in his mouth as he tried to chew quietly. Every now and again he would catch his self staring at her as she prepared to eat her food.

She was definitely a sight to see. 

It was something about her that made his heart pull in a few extra heartbeats. 

Her smile, her pigtails, even the way she placed the knife down and the way she held her fork and the way she looked up at him and the way she stared back-

He was starting again. 

And she was staring back _at_ him. 

He looked away and down at his half finished breakfast. 

The heat of his red face could practically cook the rest of the pancakes to a crisp. 

He swallowed. His throat wanting a glass of orange juice just as much as he wanted to rewind a few seconds back at his self gawking at her.

He kept his eyes where he puncture a piece of pancake with his fork. 

Was she still staring at him? 

In his mind, it felt like she still was, but he didn't want to look up to make sure. 

He heard a faint sound of her chewing her food. 

The silence surrounding them wasn't tense, per se, though something was in the air and it didn't seem calming. 

It would most likely behoove him to say something, anything to chisel off a bit of the awkward block sitting between them. 

He swallowed once more and rested the handle of the fork on the perlicue of his hand. "So.." he looked up to see her eyes raise up from her plate to meet his. "your friends?" he said quietly before driving his self to say more, "You didn't get to tell me much about them. Just that they're singers." 

The look of her eyes deemed skeptic, or perhaps slightly concerned, before something changed in them and they looked softer, more attantvie and considerate and an amused smile showed on her face. "Heh. What, you worried about first impressions?" she asked. The worried look that he was trying to hold back said it all. "My girls are cool." she said airily with a casual wave of her hands. "Just be yourself." she brought down her fork on two pieces of her pancake. "You ain't gotta worry about a thing. You'll be fine." she ate the pieces off the prongs of her fork.

_Yeah.. be myself.._

_Well.. that's what I've been doing for this long._

_And look where that got me._

_Knowing I'd been Steven my whole life, a world now saved, peace throughout the galaxy, and.. years of therapy._

"Right." he said eventually. 

"Seriously Steven." she said breezily. "You really need to stop sweatin' yourself." was he sweaty already?! "Dijonay is cool, Zoey is cool in an awkward, nerd kind of way and LaCienega-" she stopped and her nose crinkled as her mouth pulled back in a vexed frown. "LaCienega is.. well, LaCienega. But those three are my girls, so you're good." 

He was almost starting to doubt himself. 

If he would be able to handle a task to actually "hang out" with people that weren't Connie, his dad or the townies in Beach City and be with people his own age, but she helped calm even just a bit of his nerves. 

Just be his self. 

Something that he seemed a bit rusty with the last year, but something he could get better at. 

With _out_ trying to look _too_ much into other people's lives and problems.

He needed that balance. 

Be his self but.. also let other people live their lives as he focused on his own physical and mental health and personal problems. 

"You really are tense." she said matter of factly. "Just" she leaned back in her chair. "sit back and enjoy yourself. Let yourself relax." she went for an even more casual approach as she tilted her head with a smirk. "Wizville is for people exactly like you."

_People like me?! What does she mean?! Does she know-_

"You're trying to find yourself right?" he calmed down. "This city has tons of stuff for you. You'll probably even learn things you didn't even know about yourself."

That.. could be true. He was still learning about his self and in extension had also learned more about his Gem side and gained new powers he didn't know his gemstone had. 

Perhaps he _would_ learn more. 

Isn't finding yourself also learning more things about yourself you hadn't known before as well?

"Yeah.. and I did look up a lot of interesting things in this city." he was slowly coming out of his skin.

She leaned forward in her chair. "You know what? Maybe we can squeeze in something you would like to do." 

"Really?" he was genuinely shocked.

"Yeah, why not? My mom says to make people feel more at home and comfortable. We can do something that you like to do and all five of us can do it together."

It'd been so long since he had some real fun. 

How long had it been, since he was thirteen when he went to the arcade with the Gems? But even that time was cut short.

His time with Pee Dee at the arcade was cut short too because of Frybo and he and Connie didn't enjoy the whole day in Rose's room.. then he was dying while performing on stage as Steg..

Wow.. and all of those had been Gem related..

Even hanging out with the Cool Kids down at Dead Man's Mouth and when he met up with them again and he nearly took off into space in Peridot's pod.

All.. Gem related..

He paused and stopoed those memories and let them fall down to the many vaults in his mind.

Now wasn't the time to think back on those days.

What did he like to do now?

What _should_ teenagers like to do now?

Penny was looking at him and giving him a rather inquisitive look. "Uh.. I guess I'm fine with you four showing me around. I think I'll find something that I like to do."

The inquisitive look stayed only but a couple of seconds before she raised her hands up and said blithely, "Okay, suit yourself. But if my girls and I want to go to a salon, don't you back out." she joked. 

Why.. would he back out? 

And he didn't want to ask what a salon was.

"Okay." he smiled meekly. "Then I won't."

Pure astonishment came across her face and her mouth opened slightly. Her fork was held without much grip as her attention reeled in what he'd said. 

Did he say something wrong?

Was he _not_ supposed to want to go to a salon?

Was that the joke?

She let out a humored chuckle. "Let me guess, is that how you get your hair so poofy like that? Is that your secret?" 

He wasn't quite catching on, but he had to play it off like he did. "No." his hand went up to grab at his curls. "That's how my hair is naturally." 

She turned her head to the side and raised an eyebrow up. "Quit playin'." 

"I'm not." he felt a lurking smile steadily wanting to reach his face. "My hair is naturally like this."

"Huh." she placed a chin on the back of her hand. "I have to say, I'm kinda jealous of that." 

"Don't be." a very light single chuckle left his mouth as he shrugged. "I.. actually like your hair." he carefully looked up at her. 

There was a bright smile and a flutter of her eyes. "Oh yeah?" her voice had this appeal to it that reeled him in. 

"Y, yeah." he put his arm down. "I like how you have your ponytails." 

She took that compliment full on. "Thanks." she beamed.

"It's no problem." he resisted clearing his throat. "It's.. really pretty." the heat was climbing back up to his cheeks. 

Her smile was even more dazzling from before and her eyes had this hypnotizing twinkle in them. 

He opened his mouth to say more, but the words halted against his tongue and not daring to come out.

He heard another light chuckle and with such an enticing voice she cooed, "Weeeell" and a bat of her eyelashes. "maybe if you hang out with me and my crew more, you could get to see these ponytails more."

He gave a light tilt of his head as he nodded with dreamy eyes and a wan grin on his face. "Yeah. M, maybe." he sputtered softly.

Moments passed by and for how long he didn't know, but eventually Penny scoffed gently. "Okay." she said airily. "We might want to finish our food." she put the fork down into the pancakes. "And while we wait, I can show you some videos from our L.P.D.Z tour." 

  
  


"Wow.. that show was amazing." said Steven. He was still feeling goosebumps along his arms as his mind hummed the last song of the video. 

This had been one of the shows they'd done in Melbourne, Australia.

The crowd was huge and everyone was having a great time outside as they bounced huge, inflatable beach balls around as L.P.DZ. sung.

The show was over now and they were doing their standing ovation as confetti and silly spray fell from the canons.

"Yeah. That show was so good, we got a call to come back again and perform after a Cricket game."

" 'Cricket' ? Like.. the insects?"

Penny raised a palm up with a one armed shrug. "Some game that they play over there. I don't know anything about it." she said casually. "But _I'm_ more excited to go back there again." 

"Well, I hope you and your friends have another great show."

"Yeah, thanks." she paused the video right as a dark skinned man wearing a suave blue suit walked leisurely across the stage. His face covered by a spinning basketball. "I really hope you'll stay long enough to come to at least one of our concerts." she said.

"Well," he scratched at the very faint stumble on his baby face. "It's.. not like I'm in much of a rush. I could at least see one concert." 

"Cool." she said and raised her hand up towards him. Her slim fingers curled under in a fist. 

That same gesture that boy did on the train.

Okay. This _had_ to be some kind of greeting in Wizville. Or, maybe California as a whole? 

He reached for her hand and grabbed the fist and shook it with a friendly smile. "I'll be sure to cheer the loudest."

She looked down at the handshake. "Uh, heh. Yeah" she said with a distracted laugh and let the boy shake the dap. "And I'll be sure to point directly at you as a sing out a lyric."

He let go of her hand and mocked an awestruck gasp as he placed a hand on both sides of his face. "I'll feel so special."

That earned a perplexed look from the girl at his gesture, though a genuine laugh came out of her. She gave him a slight, playful shove of his shoulder. "You're alright, Steven." 

He grinned in delight. "Really?"

"Yeah. You're alright with me." 

Ecstatic wouldn't be the right word for how he was feeling.

Not even overly elated.

This was something more and he could feel it-

**_Beep, beep_ **

The two turned to their side and towards the curtains of the window. "Those'll be the girls now." said Penny. She got off the couch.

His anticipation began to leak into his heart and cause it to beat faster. He got up on unsure legs.

Penny turned around as she pocketed her phone in her skirt pocket. "What are you waiting for?" she smiled playfully and their was a shadow of mischief under her half lidded eyes. "You're trying to have fun or not?" 

"Uh, y, yeah." he jogged his way towards her.

She opened the door and took a step to the side to let him step out of the house. 

In front of him was a red sports car with the windows and the top down. Three girls were staring directly at him.

The one in the front was wearing dark red shades and a red jacket. Her long brown hair flowed in the breeze. The red flower hairclip in her hair only for looks as it did nothing to hold the front of her hair down. A single red bracelet was laying neatly on her left wrist as the same hand held onto the steering wheel.

The one in the passenger's seat had a rather puckered look to her face. Her lips pursed and her eyebrows furrowed. One eye a squint with the other wide and inquisitive. Her dyed blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail at the top of her head and the tip of the ponytail flapped in the wind. Her sky blue jacket over her arms looked cool under the shade of the tree.

Then it was the one in the back seat with her red hair and black, big framed glasses. From his angle, he could see a light green blouse.

He stopped in his tracks immediately.

This wasn't the Cool Kids.

Or even the Rose Quartzes or the Zoomens.

This was a different group. Three girls he didn't know that may or may not like him because of something he might do-

"Get in, five head. We're going to the mall." said the one driving.

Penny was locking the door. " 'Five head'." she grumbled. "If she keeps calling me that.." she turned around and put the keys in her pocket. "Let's get a move on." she said sarcastically and walked pass him.

He looked to his car, then back at her. He jogged up and pointed a thumb behind him. "You don't want me to follow them in my car?"

"Heh, no." she said smugly. The complacent grin was under her playful eyes. "The goal is for you to hang with the crew and that's being squeezed in the back with Zoey and I." 

"O, oh.." 

Steven and Penny were coming up to the car and her friend waggled her eyebrows in the front seat. "Oooooo, he is fizzine." 

"He's okay." her friend beside her said lackadaisically with a belittling shrug. 

There was a breathy chuckle from Zoey. "Dijonay, what about Sticky?" 

She turned around and with a raise of her eyebrow and a pucker of her plump lips she asked, "What about him?" she scoffed. "He still my man." she looked back to check Steven out; his curly hair, his thick eyebrows, his broad chest. "Doesn't mean I can't use my Fine 'ORadar to scope out some hot guys. And this guy, is ringing the bells in my radar something fierce."

Penny walked up and placed a hand on the top of the door. She pushed herself over the door and jumped in. "Heyyy~"

"What's up girl?" the one in the passenger's seat over enthusiastically greeted with a neck roll.

"Hey Penny." Zoey said beside her.

The driver but adjusted the shades on her nose with her snooty look ever present on her face. "So, you're going to introduce us to your little guest, Proud?" 

Steven was opening the door. "Hey." he waved timidly.

"This is Steven, guys. He'll be staying with my family and I for a bit." 

Steven sat down on the tan leather seats and closed the door.

"Your family is _still_ using that Sofa Diving app?" her friend asked. She turned around in her seat. "That's some creepy, horror movie type of stuff girl. You and your family trippin'." 

"Dijonay, it's a safe app." 

She turned around in her seat. "Yeah, you tell yourself that. I mean, home boy here looks cool, but you might be meeting some freaky deaky weird and dinky type of person one day."

Penny made an unpleased look at the back of her friend's head.

"Dijonay, Penny is right." the driver was reapplying lipstick to her lips. She rubbed her lips together and made a couple popping sounds with them. She put her compact mirror in her purse. "She and her family don't have to worry about people coming into their house. It's the _people_ that has to worry about going into _their_ dingy old house. Now _that's_ scary. Living with the Prouds." 

Steven looked over at the girl. 

_That was mean.._

"LaCienega, chill." Penny warned. "Don't be showing off in front of him."

"What?" she feigned puzzlement. "I don't know what you mean, Proud. I'm just giving a review of your home." she shifted gears and the car drove off from the curb. "I _did_ live with you, remember?" 

"Yeah and what a nightmare _that_ was." she grumbled.

"My point exactly."

"LaCienega." she growled.

"I think the Prouds have a nice home." Steven cut in and all four girls looked at him, though there was more of a puckered scowl on LaCienega's face. 

"Uh.."

"LaCienega, you might want to keep your eyes on the road." Zoey suggested softly.

"Zoey, relax. _I'm_ the one with the driver's license here." a beat. _"And_ the one with a nice car that mi papi brought me, so stop being such a backseat driver."

The girl was quiet.

Steven looked at her then back at LaCienega who'd glanced at the road and back at him. 

_That.. was also mean.._

"Yeah.." he began again. "I like their house. It's clean and her mother is nice and she and Penny can really cook." 

The four looked at him.

Hope.. fully.. he didn't step out of line.

But he couldn't have this girl insult Penny and her family and her house like that.

He wasn't going to sit there and do nothing while someone was being utterly rude.

LaCienega scoffed and turned around once more and with a flip of her brown hair she said, "Whatever, maybe your taste is just as bad as Penny's." 

Zoey and Dijonay gasped and the latter instigated with an extra "Oooooooo."

"Now hold up, LaCienega." Penny folded her arms. "I am _not_ going to let you talk to my guest like that."

"It's okay, Penny." said Steven. "Really. I've been called worse."

And that, he has. 

Little side remarks from Lars he would always brush off when he was younger, Yellow Diamond calling him hideous that one time when he went to space court, amongst other name calling and remarks from the other Diamonds and from Ronaldo. 

So, this was nothing.

Though maybe she should stop there before it got to a certain point with him.

He took in a very subtle breath in and quickly let it out in a form of a light scoff.

".. an only imagine what he's been called." said LaCienega.

"It doesn't concern us." Penny quickly countered.

"Whatever, Proud." 

_What was this girl's problem?_

"I'm just saying, LaCienega. I told you he was coming with us. I do _not_ need you to disrespect him. The plan was to show him a good time and _that's_ what we're going to do."

The teen looked to her right. "Do you hear something Dijonay?" 

Penny narrowed her eyes at her. 

Dijonay wasn't paying attention. The teen too busy staring sensually at Steven through the side mirror. 

"Dijonay!" 

She blinked her eyes rapidly and peeled them from the mirror. "Huh? What was that?" 

She shook her head. "Nothing." she huffed. 

"Ooh, I thought you said something. Eheh, ookayy~" she went back to oggiling at Steven. Her chin placed on her palm as she leaned into the mirror. 

The car ride went to an abrupt silence as LaCienega didn't bother to add on to the conversation.

Steven caught something moving just slightly in front of him and his eyes wandered down and to the side view mirror and caught sight of Dijonay staring at him with a wide, lazy grin on her face. 

_Why.. is she staring at me?_

_And why is she staring at me like that?_

He looked away. 

Maybe he shouldn't get so paranoid.

Maybe something was on his face? 

He raised a hand up slowly and scratched at his cheek then slid his fingers down to his lips to feel for any pancake crumbs or syrup residue. He didn't and dropped his hand slowly from his face and to his lap. 

Or.. maybe from his angle it only _looked_ like she was looking at him when she really wasn't?

He didn't want to look back, but curiosity was pulling his eyes downwards.

He looked back at the sideview mirror to see her still staring at him.

A rush of chills went up his skin.

Why.. was she staring?

Did she know him?

Did she.. know his secret-?

She blew a kiss at him and his eyes widened. 

Oh.

 _Oooh_..

So that's what's going on..

Should he.. acknowledge that? He didn't want to be rude.

He raised his arm up and gave her a bashful wave of his hand with a nervous lopsided grin. "Heh.." 

She bat her eyelashes at him.

 _Ooo.. kay..._

He managed a court nod and slowly, slooowly looked away from her half-lidded, piercing dark brown, mischievous eyes. 

He decided to look out at the neighborhood instead to get a nice view of the new city with the wind blowing through his hair.

The shops looked nice and the people dressed even nicer and everything looked new, pricy and vibrant.

It could be that the city felt so brand new and awe inspiring due to him just getting there, but he couldn't help but feel something else with the city as well.

His eyes went to various parts of the area as he tried to take in as many sights and sounds as the car floored it down the road of the bustling city.

He was feeling this weird, euphoria sensation in his chest that he couldn't quiet describe completely. 

He was liking it. Loving it. And at the same time cherishing it.

"You're looking all smiley." he heard Penny say and he turned to her. She had this, friendly _and dare he say irresistible_ smile on her face. 

"I..guess I just miss the feeling of being free." 

There was a skeptic look to her features that quickly vanished just as it came and he wondered if she was even looking skeptic to begin with. The smile on her face was even more placid and comforting. "Heh yeah, well, once we get to the mall, you're going to _really_ get a feel of being free. I'm talking chilling out and having fun, you feel me?" 

Well.. the backseat wasn't too spacious for the three of them and his leg _had_ touched hers every now and again..

So.. yes?

Though he didn't know why that was brought up or even mattered.

"Yeah, I do." his lips curled up in a smile.

"Cool." she brought up her hand again in a fist and this time, there was no hesitation on his part. He reached up and grabbed her fist and shook it, which brought out a few giggles out of her. 

Her laugh was really, _really_ cute.

"Aye, Steven. You ever had one of Wizard Kelly's slushies since you've been here?" 

He shook his head and felt the smile hugging his face tighter. "No, I haven't." 

"Then we definitely have to go to Wiz Kel's Shaved Ice & Slushies. They have _the_ best shaved ice and slushies. I also checked the ingredients. All of the flavors are vegan."

"Yeah, I would love to go." 

"Good. And your girl is gonna hook us up with _the_ best flavors. Eheh, yeah." 

"Sounds great to me."

Their smiles were ever present and wide and genuine and compassionate. 

Perhaps she would've stared longer into his eyes, perhaps she would've said something more to him, but the look and the feeling he had in his heart slowly began to feel a bit too much for him and he glanced away and gave the back of his neck a self conscious scratch. "It, really does sound like fun." he mumbled out sheepishly. "In general, I mean.. Everything does."

"Yeah, you're definitely going to enjoy yourself."

And he had a feeling that he would.

The Diamond Authority was no more and the empire had been dismantled and there was peace throughout the galaxy now.

He had nothing else to fear.

No one left to fight.

This would mark another chapter in his life of being human. Of making memories and living his life as a teenager.

This was his time to shine.

It was time for him to officially start living.


	6. At the mall

The sun was beaming in the sky above them and the cool air was cooling off their warm skin as the car was steered towards a parking garage. Beside it stood a far reaching, expensive white building whose side was shown with a lone gray double door and whose face was met with the side of the multi-layering of the silver paneling of the car lot.

LaCienega put on her blinkers and didn't wait before she'd cut her wheel and pressed down hard on the gas pedal. The car in motion made a quick pop forward right into the speed of the turn.

Her passenger in the front seat and the three in the back all made a shriek or a surprised yelp as they jerked to their right. 

Incoming cars blared their horns with a couple letting out a few obscene words towards the driver. 

"Oh, right back at ya!" she shouted and proceeded to drive the car into the mouth of the lot.

Penny was easing herself away from Zoey who'd unfortunately suffered the most of it. The slender teen being both pushed and then squeezed between the side of the door and Penny. "LaCienega! Can't you drive!"

Steven's fingers were grasped tightly under the front of his seat. Right as the moment happened his mind had prepared him to grab onto something, anything. Lest something would happen to him.

"Oh, relax, Proud. No one hit us and _I_ didn't have to wait." she was completely unremorseful and her thin nose kept up in the air along with the slight, snooty pucker of her glossed lips.

Penny turned to Steven who was now easing his fingers from the leather. "Are you okay?"

The nod stopped halfway and his chin was anchored downwards. "Yeah.." he whispered. "I'm fine."

"LaCienega, you _need_ to chill with that reckless driving. You have people in the back." 

The prim teen readjusted her shades that hadn't need adjusting. _"Who's_ the one with the license here, Proud?" 

"Heh, _me_." she retorted. "Are you forgetting that I _also_ have my license? I got one before _you_ did."

The shades were adjusted once again. "Mm, that may be so Proud, but _I_ am the one with the car here." her voice had lowered and was every bit belittling. "And an _expensive_ one at that." 

The corners of Penny's eyes creased as her mouth snarled. A low, harsh growl drew out through her clenched teeth. She turned her head away as she closed her mouth slightly. Steven could hear low grumbling under her breath but couldn't make out what she was saying.

"Uhg, the _nerve_ of some people trying to backseat drive." she turned to another ramp of the lot. "What sad nerve." 

Steven looked at the line up of cars on either side of them. Each vehicle ranging in color, height, make and model. 

He'd hardly seen cars within Beach City, apart from street races. Everything had been a walkable distance. 

While out traveling, _that_ was when he'd seen numerous amount of cars. Along the highways or in New York, New York. 

Here, however, was the first time he'd seen such an immense number of cars parked in just one specific holding area.

"Oh, come _on."_ LaCienega whined in a baby voice. "Where are all the spoooots?" she looked to her left then her right and so did the others. "I do _not_ want to park all the way on the top floor. _Not_ in these expensive heels. And not.ever." 

"Wait, there's one!" Dijonay yelled. Her finger was pointing forward at a spot just yards away between two SUV's.

"I, see it!" LaCienega drove towards the spot-

"What?" her face pulled down into a scowl. 

A red, shiny motorcycle was parked diagonally within the rectangular box.

"Oh, come on!" she said again. 

"Now they know they could've parked straight." Dijonay presumed. "We could've slid right on in there." 

"Whatever." LaCienega turned her wheel. "I didn't want to park there anyway." she drove off. "I wouldn't dare want my expensive car to be parked near two homely SUV's." 

The group looked around yet all they saw were cars and motorcycles parked in every spot of the lot.

"Daang, is everybody and their brother up here today?"

"Looks like it to me, Dijonay. Maybe we should've came here earlier." said Zoey.

"Eww and risk getting caught up with the nerds and old people that shop in the mornings?" LaCienega huffed. "Uh, no. thank. you." she drove the car farther up and gasped. "Wait, I think I see one!"

"Where?" Zoey asked.

Penny looked around.

"Girl, I don't see one." said Dijonay.

"Oh, never mind." a cynical smile unfurled on her unblemished face. "That was just Proud's _forehead."_

The girl's brows knitted in a pouted scowl as LaCienega and Dijonay laughed. Zoey held her hand over her mouth as she giggled along with them.

Steven didn't think that was funny.

The girl had been and was still being very, _very_ rude.

"Oh wait!" Dijonay cut in amongst the guffaws. "That car's pulling out!" 

LaCienega turned her attention to the front of the car and saw a small sedan leaving out the spot. She floored her vehicle.

"Go LaCienega! Go! Gooo!" Dijonay's enthusiastic voice boomed within the parking lot.

They were almost at the spot.

"Ha Ha! We got it now!"-

A black Jeep zoomed pass in front of them and LaCienega stomped on the breaks and the car stopped abruptly as everyone was propelled forward with the seatbelt snapping them back quickly, say for Dijonay who'd had her hands pressed against the windshield of the car with her face smashed up against the new glass. 

Penny groaned as she rubbed her neck. "Are you okay, Steven?" 

He had to steadily unclip his fingers from the seat once more. "Y, yeah.."

"Now WHAT the heck is that person's problem! They CLEARLY saw me going for the spot!" 

Moments later and Suga Mama came out of the car along with a man with styled green hair and a thin and jagged pencil mustache and a single curly cue beard hair over the conceited look on his face. His purple zootsuit jacket brushed pass the door as he slammed it shut. With a slouched posture to his step, he shuffled towards the older woman with his hands in the pockets of his purple pants. 

"Come on, Papi." said Suga Mama. She slinked her arm around his as her dog Puff rested on her wig. "We gotta get me a new pocketbook." she raised up an old, beat up looking purse. "I'm tired of carrying this old bag around." 

"La única vieja chota que veo eres tú." (The only _old bag_ I see, is _you._ ) "Woooohahahaha!!!" 

They watched as the two walked away. The seniors completely oblivious to what had just happened.

"Uhhg, I SO can't believe this!"

Zoey sighed. "I guess we have to look for another spot then." 

LaCienega raised her foot from the break and stepped on the gas, causing everyone to be pushed back, including Dijonay who'd left a face and hand prints on the interior as she was slung back towards her seat.

She, Zoey and Penny grumbled and protested.

"Oh, shut up you three. It's not that serious." she turned up another ramp. "Now, stop your whining and look for another spot."

  
  


It was a near thirty minutes later when they found another spot.

And it was far away from the entrance, though according to Zoey, technically they were now on the other side closest to a store called 'Andercomby & Flitch', which was one of their stores they wanted to go shopping in, though the deal breaker was having to go through another store called 'Stacey's' in which LaCienega was _very_ upset about. The teen not wanting to have to walk through such a lower end department store and _rather_ wanting o walk through a more higher-end, expensive store like 'Nordershrums' and taking her walk from there.

The convertible top clicked shut and she and Dijonay were getting out of the car as Zoey and Steven were getting out. Both were quick to hold the door for Penny and with the girl's attention being on the boy, she slid herself towards him instead.

Zoey closed her door and followed the group away from the car.

Without looking back, LaCienega bent her wrist back and pressed on the key fob. The car chirped twice as the doors locked.

The cement below their shoes, heels and flip flops respectively trembled softly as the echoed, muffled sound of engines from cars above and below them resonated in the area.

Steven could see the wide windows of the sliding doors and the warm, yellow lighting behind it.

Oh, the anticipation.

What all was he going to do?

What all was he going to see?

He couldn't wait.

They were so close, yet so far away.

He didn't know what to expect and he was both excited _and_ nervous because of it.

Would they be going to this 'Andercomby & Flitch' store first?

What did they sell exactly?

Would he like something in there?

What store would they go in next?

And, would he like something from _there_ as well?

Would he _not?_

Maybe he should get some more sandals.

Maybe another varsity jacket?

And what about food?

Penny was telling him about those Shaved Ice and Slushies. 

He couldn't wait to try one out.

A lone car stopped to let them pass and they walked across the crosswalk and towards the doors.

This was it.

They took their steps forward and their persons reached the sensors on the panel. 

The doors slid open.

They stepped into the carpeted vestibule and the cool air covered their faces and arms and legs. A faint smell of perfume wafted into their nose.

Then..the next pair of doors slid open.

They stepped in.

Steven was at awe. 

He didn't know where to look and opted to glance all around him. 

"Whoa.."

The floors were so golden brown and shiny. The clear cases with various items inside shown brightly and the light brown carpets under the rolling carts holding various women's clothing looked clean and well maintained as well.

People of all ethnicity, shapes, heights and sizes walked every which way around them.

At that point he was happy that he'd more or less gotten used to such crowds.

Having been in New York City had trained him well for such congested places. 

He walked a steady pace with them as he took in more of the bright, shining lights above him and the smell of lavender, lilacs, cinnamon and citrus. 

Indistinguishable chatter filled the air, accompanied by the sound of shoes walking, sauntering and stomping across the well polished surface of the flooring.

He couldn't wait to see more-

"Hey, Sir." a chipper, effeminate voice greeted behind him. "Want to try out our new perfume?" Steven turned around to see a brown skin boy with a friendly, gap toothed smile A dark gray band was wrapped around his short cut, curly black afro and he was wearing a one shoulder, stretched out off-gray shirt. 

"Huh?" he looked down to see a small light gray bottle in his hand with a black atomizer attached to it. 

Steven had no idea what it was and in a split second of his mind, he thought it a Gem weapon. 

".. it's new by L' Darc Lancǒbs." the boy raised his hands up and pressed the squeeze bulb and a spray of perfume launched towards his face. 

Steven gasped and took in the chemicals of the perfume as he threw his arms in front of his face. "No!" he choked on the irritants as he backpedaled farther away.

The boy, the group of girls and a handful of other bystander watched as he fell to the floor and flailed his arms in front of his face as he continued to cough in fits.

The four of them exchanged various skeptical, amused, apologetic and nervous glances.

Zoey pulled her mouth to the side. "Awk.waaaard.." she mumbled through the corner of her lips. 

"Don't worry, guys. I got this." Penny jogged towards him. 

Steven was coughing out the last bit of the unknown substance as he slowly began to notice no other side effects happening _so_ far. 

He didn't want to take that chance in putting his arms down.

"Steven?" he heard a gentle, familiar voice that, at the same time, sounded worried. 

Penny stopped just a cautious step to his side. She saw him look through the crack of his upturned arms. 

"Uh.." she tilted her head and asked, "Are.. you good?"

He coughed a few times and attempted to calm his panted breathing down slightly, ".. Mm.." he kept his arms up. "I.." he looked at the boy, then down at the unfamiliar object in his hand.

Penny looked back at her classmate. "Michael, look what you did. You standing there scaring people, shoving perfume all in their face and stuff." 

_Perfume?_

_That's.. what it was?_

The sales associate shrugged his shoulders all the way up and both arms even further up. "I wasn't trying to scare anyone." his voice was an octave higher. "I was just trying to sell."

"Yeah, well.. you need a new marketing strategy." she riposted and turned her attention back to Steven who was slowly putting his arms down. He saw a hand reach out towards him. "Don't mind him." she gestured with her head. "That's just Michael trying to 'OuT SeLl" his co-workers."

He felt silly and he felt self-conscious and embarrassed at freaking out so easily.

He could only imagine what everyone else was in the store was thinking..

He grabbed Penny's hand and she helped him up off the floor. "You good, right?"

"Uh, yeah." he looked back sheepishly at the boy and managed a, "Sorry." and a nervous "Heh.."

"Uh.. no, it's okay?" the boy was confused but didn't say anything further.

"Come on, Steven." she gently nudged him forward and towards the girls.

LaCienega was already laughing _at_ him as the two approached her. She shook her head. "What did you think he was trying to do? Hurt you?" 

"I.." what could he tell her? He couldn't tell her the _truth_. He thought it was a Gem Weapon. Sure they had been confiscated a couple years ago, but there could always be that one that they missed. The Gems were _still_ finding corrupted Gems after all so.. finding Gem weapons that have yet to be confiscated was just as plausible. 

His fingers rubbed across the curls just at the nap of his neck. "I mean.." he went to scratch at his hair.

"LaCienega, can it." Penny warned with a pointed finger at the girl's snobbish, lip puckering to the side face. She lowered her arm back down. "Let's _just._ start shopping." and in a breezily, yet mocking way she asked, "You know _that_ kind of vocabulary, eheh, don't you?" 

"Yes. I _do."_ she pivoted on her heels. "Just like how I know _'money'."_ she looked over her shoulder at Penny and pulled her shades down just a smidge to see the top of her condescending eyes. "Though I know a word such as that is not in _your_ vocabulary, Proud." she turned back around and her head swung dramatically to the side before raising back up. She began to strut away from them. 

Zoey and Dijonay followed her.

Penny scrapped her teeth together as her nose crinkled in disgust. "Let's.. just follow them." she said through her teeth and made her way towards the group. 

Steven followed alongside her silently.

Okay, so a not so good start, but neither was it so bad either.

Sure, that girl was still being mean and he embarrassed his self in front of people, but it could've went so much worse.

He could've summoned his weapon, picked up the boy and threw him to the other side of the building, turned pink, turned into a pink Godzilla again, _anything._

None of those scenarios happened.

Perhaps he was getting better. As in, _better_. better. 

Oh, he couldn't wait to tell his therapist this.

Maybe all of those therapy sessions were finally paying off.

A little smile pressed on his face as he walked about the dazzling, shiny area. Other sales associates were spraying people as well. Some potential customers had even pointed at certain parts of their hands, arms, wrists or clothing for the representatives to use the spray on.

_Okay._

_So that's just what they do._

_I'll have to remember that._

The group, he'd quickly noticed, was heading towards what looked to be a moving, metal staircase steadily pulling upwards. Several people had stepped on the individually linked steps and began ascending up.

Moments later and after passing more display cases and passerby, LaCienega stepped on, followed by Dijonay, then Zoey. Penny stepped on afterwards.

Steven stopped to get a better look at the mechanisms of the machine. He watched as a flattened step slid out from the floor and raised up into a step. 

Then he watched four more steps perform the exact motion before he heard a, "Aye," he jumped slightly and turned around. "you getting on or not?" said a stocky man. 

"Yeah." he quickly said and jumped forward. His foot stepped onto one of the moving stairs.

Yes, he'd gotten on one of these before. He'd gotten on a few of them for the first time just yesterday when he want out to take a quick peak around Wizville. 

He was at awe then and he was at awe now and even more so, now that these machines were actually _inside_ of a mall.

He noticed a previous floor below him that they hadn't been on. On one side and below the escalator was another one and he noticed another escalator was beside him and actually _not_ a wall. As they ventured up, he realized the "wall" had merely been the side of another escalator.

He widened his step and grabbed either side of the railing. He looked to his sides, then down to the bottom floors.

"Cool.."

The four of them were watching Steven nearly awestruck as he looked about himself as he stood directly in the middle of the escalator.

"What is _up_ with that guy?" Zoey asked between her friends. "He acts like he's never been on an escalator before."

"That boy.." Dijonay shook her head. "Something ain't right with him."

"Relax, guys." said Penny. "Maybe.. I don't know, maybe he's from some small place in the South or something."

"You mean like, some kind of bumpkin?" Dijonay asked.

Penny shrugged. "Maybe." she glanced back at the boy and she saw a man tap on his shoulder and said something to him. Steven nodded and moved to the side to let the man through. "Still, we shouldn't judge him." she looked up at her friends. "Let's just, let him live a little." 

The escalator ended and they got off and began walking away. Penny slowed up and looked back.

Steven waited until his own step had flattened down and slid into the floor and he was slid to the cut off of the escalator. 

There was a small, content smile on his face that brought out a smile of her own. "I take it you don't go on those often, huh?"

"There's.. none where I'm from." he said. "It's a pretty small area." he explained briefly.

"Yeah, I figured." she took one step back. "Now, come on. Let's shop 'til we drop." she turned around and went to the entry of the mall.

_'Shop 'til we drop'?_

_Drop what?_

He followed her and saw the cool blue and silver coloring of the area in front of them. Colorful lights from stores aligned either side of the fourth floor.

He walked through two six foot tall errant panels and exited the store and into the mall itself. "Whoa."

There was a water fountain spouting out clear, refreshing water and around it ran little kids of varying ages. Yards away from the fountain were several benches. Some of them occupied with people reading, on their phones, eating or watching their kids play.

There was something about the noise and the ambience of being in an actual mall. It was something different. Something that he couldn't put his finger on. 

The low, crashing, soothing sound of the water hitting back into the surface, accompanied with the loud and squealing kids as they laughed and played. Then it was the signature, low mumbling and white noise of the area as people walked, talked, with the addition of the various building noises. And, just the vibrant, impressive, eye popping features that were attracting his full attention. Not to mention the different smells of sweets, perfumes and chlorine. 

"Steven!" 

He looked to the sound of the voice. 

Penny and her crew were on the far side of the wall and near the shops. She was fanning her hand back. "Come on!" she grinned. "Before we leave you!" 

They.. wouldn't _really_ do that. 

Noo. No. They wouldn't. His brain needed to stop doing that.

He hurried over towards them in a friendly smile. 

"We're going to check out Andercomby & Flitch'." said Penny. 

He slowed his jog. "I can't wait to check it out." 

The group walked close along the shops and Steven was able to see more of the different stores that they had unfortunately passed. He would've liked to check them out as well, but didn't want to intrude. At least not this early. 

They'd pass by a shop that had little sculptures he'd seen in those Japanese or Chinese films. When he looked pass the display window and into the store, he noticed scrolls and watercolor painting of you mountains and waterfalls. 

The next shop had very cozy furniture in it; beds, couches, lounging chairs, loveseats. 

He could easily imagine his dad picking this store to go in first.

The next had blow up sized pictures of toddlers in their cute little outfits as they hugged on their "parents" or other toddlers or a stuffed animal. 

He looked up at the sign.

**Koshy Oshy G'Boshy**

He looked back down as the walked pass a display with various scented candled and various colors of wax and pottery.

He definitely could've gotten something from there. 

These were some pretty interesting stores.

Beach City seemed to have just one market and one little place to shop but here? Wow.. 

That wasn't the case at all.

It seemed that the mall had a store for _every_ single thing.

They were now coming up to a store with mannequins in different poses and dressed in various casual wear. Three were sporting men attire and the other three to the left of him were sporting women attire.

"In here." he heard Penny's voice and looked from one of the mannequin's casual sandals and to the girl waving her hand as she entered the store.

He jogged in after her.

A strong fragrance hit his nose and he went to rub at one nostril. 

"Whoa.." he said nasally.

The place was bigger than the arcade in Beach City and it was jammed pack with so many clothes.

Around the interior three walls of the store lay various shirts, blouses, pants, jeans, T-shirts, jackets, hoodies and dresses on hangers or horizontal poles in a clean cut row.

Jeans of all shades of blue with some varying in other colors were folded on rectangular and circular tables. 

Other shirts, blouses and dresses in varying patterns from stripes to polka dots, ruffles to puffy sleeves, floral to plain, elastic to cotton, spandex to wool, leather to suede, button up to zippers, Velcro to joystrings, and in every color of the crayon box were hung up on small carts placed strategically throughout the store.

Amongst the clothing jungle were numerous posters sitting above clothing racks or plastered on the walls. 

Majority of the posters were pictures of men's chest from the neck on down and stopping just below the hem of their jeans as their hands laid on their belt or in their pockets as they leaned on something like a car, a tree or a surfboard. Other pictures were of men and women with ruffled, blonde hair or hair that'd been splashed with sea water. The water dripping down their blue or green mysterious eyes and down their small nose or chiseled chins.

"So," he jumped. "yooou're going to keep standing there or actually look around?" 

He looked over at Penny. She already had a lilac shirt over her arm. 

"Yeah. I, was just wondering where to go first."

"Man, we got time." she said casually. "Just do you. Check out everything if you want to." 

"Hey, Penny!" Dijonay shouted from across the store. "We found these shorts for you girl! Check them out!" 

"On my way over!" she looked over at Steven. "It's cool man. Remember what I said. Just chill and unwind. If you see something, cool, but if you don't, there's still other stores to check out." 

"Right. I guess I'll check out a few shirts first."

"Cool."

He watched her make her way over to her friends. "Guys, it better be family appropriate! You know what my dad said! No spandex, lycra, dental floss or ANY cothing we see those girls wearing on those rump shaking videos!"

_.. 'Rump shaking videos'?_

Steven decided to not worry too much about what that could be. If her dad didn't like it or didn't want her to have anything to do with it, then he shouldn't bother even looking it up. 

He walked over to a section of shirts that were both hung up on the wall above him and were squeezed one by one on a small rack on the wall in front of him. 

He tucked his hand between any area of the shirts and pried two parts away from each other. He chose one of the half of the piles and began sifting through.

Blue shirt, black shirt, orange shirt with white stripes, a navy blue shirt. All of them had three buttons at the top and a folded collar and all ranging in color and sizes. 

He went to the next half of the pile and listened to the gray hooks of the hangers scrape gently across the bar of the rack. 

This kind of reminded him of that one specific time when he and his dad spent a bit of time in a clothing store in Korea. 

Only the "finding clothes" part, since his dad wasn't here and he wasn't in Korea. 

He also wasn't laughing and having a good time with his old man as they posed in different clothing. 

He looked over and saw the girls having a good time laughing and putting up shirts in front of themselves or each other.

Dijonay grabbed a half shirt from a circular rack and held it up to her torso. The bottom of the shirt stopped at the top of her midriff.

She seemed really into that shirt, then LaCienega pointed a finger at the price above the rack and beside a picture of a shirtless guy with blue swim trunks cuddling his face on a golden retriever puppy.

_$90_

With a casual fan of the back of her hand towards the sign, she then dug into her pocket and took out a green credit card that, to Steven, looked like it had a mustache on it.

She waved the card between three fingers and a thumb and wiggled her eyebrows and the three began laughing with her.

He turned back around.

It was nice to see them getting along as they shopped.

Nevertheless, that only made him miss his dad even more and made him feel just a bit lonelier that he wasn't with them and laughing too.

He went to another rack of buttoned down clothes. 

His dad wasn't here and he wasn't with their group. 

He took a step away and looked up at the clothes with simple or intricate graphic designs on them. One red shirt had a fruit bowl on it.

That also reminded him of his dad.

Maybe he should get him something?

That cherry sweater has definitely seen better days and in a few more months it's going to get colder over there in Beach City.

He should get him a sweater or two.

Or three.

He looked around until he spotted a clothing rack that appeared to have what he was looking for. He could make out the wool and cotton fabric of the arms.

He walked over to take a look.

Despite of not being with his dad and despite of not being with the group, at least he was shopping, which was something he hadn't done in literal years at a mall. 

This was what teenagers do. They shopped. Right?

So this was something he could check off his list.

And he couldn't wait to check more things off of this imaginary list of his.

He looked at the white rectangular tag on a teal colored sweater with a smiling face of a triangular block of Swiss cheese that read, 'A little cheesy, but still grate'. 

The tag stated _3X wide._

_Yeah, that would do._

He took the hanger off the rack and went to sift through more.

Minutes later and he was slowly getting into searching around. He'd found one other sweater for him and as he searched for a third one, he'd came across a green sweater with maple leaves on it.

He decided to get a small size.

 _That_ one would be for Peridot.

 _But.. if I get_ her _one, then I'll have to get Lapis one too._

_Or does she still not like to wear human clothing?_

_Oh, and their buddy Bismuth._

_But.. what if those three wear their sweaters and Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst see them and get jealous?_

Steven looked at the rack, then up at the wall. 

_Hmmm.._

He looked down at the shirts and blouses in front of him.

_Do I need to give Pumpkin and her sisters little sweaters too?_

Penny was coming over as he looked at another rack of small scarves and sweaters.

_Wait.. what about Connie?_

_Do I give her something too?_

_How would her boyfriend feel about that?_

_But.. we're still Jam Buds, right? I mean, sure we're not together anymore, but what about us still being good friends?_

"See something you like?"

He turned to his side to see a smiling face.

"Oh, uh.. just.. just a couple of things." he moved his arm to the side to reveal the two sweaters. "I was looking for a few more." 

_At least six or seven to be exact and that's_ not _including Pumpkin and her sisters_.

"Well, take your time. We're still looking too." she took a step towards the clothing rack he was looking in and her elbow brushed pass his arm. "I wonder if I'll find something good in here."

"Maybe. It's some pretty good stuff in there."

She took a step over and began looking through another section.

Steven looked at the different sweaters as she searched through them and he wondered if he would find any sweaters for the rest of the Gems-

There was a quick glance of something yellow with a pattern. 

"Wait, can you go back?" 

"Hm?" she pulled an arm back as he moved three sweaters back. "I think I see something else." 

There it was. A yellow shirt with various circles, triangles and squares overlapping each other and in a symmetrical way. The shapes ranging in hues of light blue and green. 

He grabbed the hanger from the rack.

_Great! Now I have Pearl's sweater!_

She looked at the sweaters in varying types over his arm. "So, you're a sweater person?" 

"N, no. That's not it." he shifted on his foot. "I, just thought about buying some sweaters for my friends."

"Oh, that's what's up." she went to another section of floral patterned sweaters. "But what about you?"

"I.. don't really know yet." he looked in front of him at another circular rack before craning his neck up to see the shirts above them on the wall. "Guess I was thinking too much about what I could get them instead."

"Okay, well we still have time." she took a sweater from the hanger and held it up. "It's cool that you're getting sweaters for your friends, but it'll be cool to get something for yourself too." she put the sweater back on the hanger. "I don't think they would mind if you splurge on yourself for a bit. You _are_ on your little vacation anyway. Time to think about yourself."

Yeah..

That's what he still needed to work on.

"I know." and he hoped his voice didn't sound too hurt or sound like it had any pinch of remorse in it. 

The look had been subtle from her. Something a bit dubious within her eyes with the plain look of her lips as she resisted to pull them back. The look was quick and she was now looking unperturbed and unfazed. "Steven." she said in a relaxed, friendly voice. "I was kinda half kidding about that. Buy your friends clothes, it's whatever. Don't beat yourself up about it and, don't beat yourself up about it if you can't find anything for yourself." she yanked a sweater from the hanger. This one, a plain, red knitted sweater. She held it up to his torso and he turned to her fully. "This looks nice." she had this nice, gentle look in her eyes. "You look good in red." she said. "And in pink." she added.

He looked down at his pink jacket, then at the red sweater. "Thanks."

"Oooo, that looks pretty good on you." Dijonay was walking up with a pair of black pants and two shirts over one arm. 

"Thanks.", "That's what I told him." Steven and Penny said over one another. She was taking the sweater back and hanging it back up when Steven said, "Wait." she looked over at him. "I think I want that actually." 

Her friends walked pass them to check out more outfits.

"You sure? You know you don't have to get it just because me and Dijonay said something."

His shoulders went up without him thinking twice about shrugging. It just..happened. "I know. But I like it too." 

She handed him the sweater. "Alright. That's cool with me."

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The line hadn't been too long and it had went by relatively quickly. 

Lacienega, Penny, Dijonay and Zoey had paid for their clothes and was waiting just a foot away from Steven.

They'd stayed in the store for just another twenty, twenty-five minutes before they got a bit too bored with the store and anxious to get to the next one, which Steven also couldn't wait to go to either after finding two more sweaters; one for Garnet and another one for his dad. 

"That'll be three hundred and eight dollars." said the sales clerk.

The four teens exchanged shock glances.

"Sure." he took his wallet out of his pocket.

"Credit or debit?" she asked.

He'd been asked that question during his travels and he had _yet_ to look up what that had meant. "This is a credit card." he said as he took out the MasterCard. But he _at least_ knew that debit went with debit cards and credit went with credit cards. That was obviously self explanatory.

"Daaaang. I hope he doesn't have high interest." said Dijonay. "Home boy just spent three hundred dollars just now."

"Right. That's even more than what _you_ had spent, LaCienega." said Penny.

"Look. _I_ could've spent that much if I wanted to." she retorted.

Steven was being handed his bags. "Thanks." 

"Alright, he got his stuff. Now time to go and get me some new skirts Hawlinster just got in!" Dijonay was quick to make her way towards the entrance of the store.

"Uhg, Dijonay, wait up!" LaCienega ran after her. "Don't you MAKE me run after you in these expensive heels!" 

Zoey chuckled. "Guys, the store is _still_ going to be there when we get there." she went after them.

Steven watched the girls through the display windows and saw LaCienega shove Dijonay out the way, causing the girl to trip and fall. She popped back up in an instant and ran after her.

"Come on, let's try and catch up to them." Penny said casually and she jogged away from him. Her two bags thumped on her side as she made her way to the entrance. 

After a friendly wave to the sales clerk he ran after her.

The girls were in smiles and laughter and just the sheer resound of teens in their happiness and being carefree, he couldn't help but smile himself as he caught up to Penny. 

"Time for some Hawlinster shopping!" she cheered towards him.

"Yeah." he agreed. "And, time to relax more and unwind." 

"Heh, _now_ you're getting it."

And he couldn't contain his smile. 

It really did feel like he was getting it now. 

_Yeah._

_Maybe I am._

_Maybe I finally am._


	7. Having more fun at the mall

The group of teens were up in laughter and in smiles.

..for just two solid minutes before they ran out off breath..

LaCienga, Dijonay and Zoey were wheezing hard as they laid their hands on their knees. 

Penny and Steven were still laughing and smiling.

"How.. is stocky boy here.." LaCienga panted. "not tired?"

"Maybe he.. plays sports like.. Penny does?" Zoey huffed. 

"Besides, I think that.. majority of that.. is muscle." said Dijonay. 

"Oh, come on girls. We didn't even run that far." Penny teased. 

"Says the.. football player." Zoey groaned. "That's all you.. do _is_ run, Penny."

"Yeaah." Dijonay concurred. "And you don't.. have to lug so much.. junk in the trunk.. like I do."

"Excuses, excuses." she walked up the two brown stairs to the platform.

The three of them continued to breathe heavily as they tried to catch their breath.

"Are, you guys okay?" Steven asked.

They nodded tiredly. "Don't... worry about.. us." Zoey fanned her hand at him before bringing it back down on her knees. "We'll.. meet you guys.. in there." 

"Mm.." he hummed. ".. okay?" he walked pass them and up the two steps to the platform.

"Heh, just look at those girls." said Penny and he looked back at them still panting. "Over there being so dramatic." she shook her head with a complacent smile before nudging him in his arm. "Come on. Let's you and I, go into this store while these three bozos get there selves together."

There were two separate entrances and the teen had went to her left. "There's better clothes on _this_ side."

She walked back down the two steps and through the entrance with Steven in tow.

If the first store they been in was smelling like perfume _this_ one was definitely a factory.

He coughed into his cubital fossa. 

"You okay?"

"This place" he coughed and in a low, crackling whisper he said, "really likes their perfume."

"Heh, yeaah. You get used to it." Penny made her way across the black, shiny paneling of the flooring.

Steven coughed a few more times and followed her.

This store was more dimly lit with gray walls and lounging chairs and benches. 

The speaker in the upper corner at the back of the store was playing a song he hadn't heard before and the man seemed to only have a guitar with him. His voice soothing as he strummed the instrument.

The two of them stopped in front of a section of scarves and Penny had found something already. "Oooo, this is cute." she threw the mottled green and purple scarf around her neck.

"Yeah, it's.." he nearly hesitated. "really pretty." he complimented with a shy smile.

The playfulness was back into her half lidded eyes as she bat her eyelashes. "Well thank you." she said arrogantly. She lifted the end of the scarf and looked at the price tag and her face dropped as all conceit left her body. "Yeah, pretty _expensive_." she took the scarf off and hung it back up. "Come on. Let's go check out some other, chic, low cost scarves."she walked away and he looked over at the scarf. 

_Hmm.._

Weeeeell~

Penny was crouched down and looking at a few glossy scarves near a pile of beanie hats.

Moments later and Steven crouched down with her. "This place has a lot of fancy scarves." he said.

"Yeah, that's why we come here. For their scarves and their jeans. Ain't no place like this one when it comes to those things."

Maybe buying a pair of jeans or two wouldn't be so bad either.

It wasn't his specific Gem wear clothing that was actually better and specially made to grow and shrink with him, but it would also be nice to have regular, _human_ clothing once his powers are more controlled.

"Now here's another cute one." Penny took the scarf from the shelf and looked at the price. "YeeAH! And it's RIGHT in my price range." she stood back up. 

Steven got up with her and she noticed the scarf in his hand. "Uh, Steven? Whatchu doing with that scarf?" 

"Hm?" he tried to act coy but quickly broke out of character. "I was going to buy it for you."

"What?" her voice was a step away from an incredulous shriek. "But that scarf's like, sixty bucks."

"Okay?" he shrugged. "I still want to buy it for you." 

"You know you don't have to do that." she went for alleviating his worry. "You don't have to be overly nice." 

He didn't think he was. That was just how he was as a person. He wasn't trying to be 'overly nice'.

"I wasn't trying to be." he said and with a smile he added, "I want to buy this scarf for you."

"Okay Gill Bates. You do you." she smirked. "Thanks."

The two of them had looked at just two more spots that held colorful buttoned down tops and shorts.

"I like that one." Penny pointed at a pair of blue shorts. "But my dad would _kill_ me if I ever walk outside in them." 

"Yo, Pennyyy!" they heard Dijonay shouting out as she made her way over to them. "Look what YOUR girl found!" she held up a blue mini skirt. "Heeeyy~" she rolled her neck. "Yo girl here, is going to be. flizzeye."

"Dijonay, that's the exact same skirt you have on now."

"What? Whatchu talkin' 'bout girl?" she turned her skirt to the back. "This one has a zipper on the side." a huge, open mouthed smile come to her face.

Penny's face dropped to something of a plain, blasé look.

 _"You_ like it, don't you Steven?" she fished for approval.

"Yeah! It's nice."

"Hmph. Exactly." she cut her eye at Penny.

Penny's face dropped even more.

LaCienega and Zoey were coming up. Both girls had an article or two of clothing already in their hand. "You three found anything yet?" LaCienega asked. "I'm trying to head over to Viviana's Secret."

Dijonay gasped. "Oooo girl! Me too! I already have my skirt. Now I can put something underneath it." she grinned. 

"I'm still looking." said Penny. She looked up at the wall of shirts. "Aaand, I think I just found one already." she said casually. 

It was a peached colored short sleeved shirt with two black stripes at the end of the sleeves and the name 'Hawlinster' written in black, cursive writing on the front of it. 

"We need to get one of those sales people that get those stick things and get it down for us."

"No problem." Steven offered brusquely and obliviously. "I can get it." right as he jumped up, he instantly remembered the 'No Gem power' rule he more or less made up in his mind and he stopped before he could even get remotely high up and risk any baffling stares. 

The jump was no more than that of an average human, albeit even less than that and he pulled his self down to the floor. 

He heard a snort behind him. "Wow, did you even _try?"_ LaCienega scoffed.

"LaCienega." Penny cautioned with a glare.

"Clearly he was just joking, LaCienega." said Dijonay. "He know he can't jump that high." she chuckled and Steven covered his guilty look with a smile. 

Too bad they had no idea that jumping was pretty much any understatement to him.

Yeah.. try being able to jump _all_ the way to the Stratosphere and back.

"He got jokes." she and Zoey laughed.

"I'll be back, guys." said Penny. "I'll go get someone."

Not even a minute later, Penny had found someone to take the shirt down for her. Now with the shirt, and her scarf, she wanted to make a quick stop at the table of folded jeans.

"I'll be quick." she said and looked amongst the varying shades of blue jeans.

Steven had glanced over at the menswear just beside her on the other table. 

He _did_ say he wanted a pair of jeans.

And he would be quick too.

He went over to the table to look.

"Maybe these." Penny said to her friends.

Steven pulled up a few pair of light blue jeans. They were nice, but he put them back down and continued to look around.

"You good over here?" Penny walked over.

"Just trying to find a pair of jeans." he said before coming across a dark blue folded pair. He lifted the pants up and looked from the knee of the pants in up. "Yeah, this one could work." he pulled the jeans farther up and noticed rips along the legs of it. "Mm.. I'll just get another pair. These have holes in them." 

Penny's mouth opened slightly and she heard snickering and judging mumbles behind her. 

She ignored them.

"They're made that way."

"What?"

The laughing grew louder. "Aw man. This guy's a riot!" Zoey teased.

"Don't mind them." he told Steven and picked up the pants from the pile and held them up at her waist. "That's just how they're made."

"You.. buy jeans.. with rips and holes in them?"

"Yes _dad_." she held the jeans up. "They look hip that way."

'Hip'..

"Oooo, you should try them on!" Dijonay suggested.

"But, Viviana's Secret." LaCienega whined.

"Girl, we got time. Let hunk over here try out some jeans."

LaCienega folded her arms and pouted.

Penny looked over at him. "Did you want to?"

He looked at the pants in her hands. 

Well, he was here to have fun. And they seemed into it.

Why not?

"Sure." he said and grabbed the jeans from her.

"Woooo!! Runway!! Fashion runway!!" Dijonay shouted. "Let's get this started!!"

"Yeah, I'm down with that." said Penny.

"And I've been meaning to try this shirt on." said Zoey.

Lacienega rolled her eyes.

Steven was shown to the dressing room and Penny left to give him some privacy.

He closed the door and locked it with a solid click. 

The area wasn't too spacious, but it was manageable and the lights in the ceiling made the interior of the cubicle brighter than the actual store itself. 

There was a bench that he'd set his two bags on and a few hooks on two walls adjacent of the other and a full length mirror. 

Steven looked at the pants in the mirror being held in his hands. 

Before he was given his Gemtech clothing, when he was younger, Pearl would either stitch up or throw away any of his clothing whenever they got messed up. 

Now he was going to _try_ the clothes out.

He stepped to his side and caught sight of his two bags sitting on the bench.

_Hm.._

The group was sitting down on the bench. 

LaCienega was on her phone now and still pouting while Penny, Dijonay and Zoey were talking amongst each other. 

"What if he ends up putting the pants on the wrong way?" Dijonay joked and she and Zoey laughed. 

"Guys, he knows how to put on pants, quite clowning him." said Penny. 

Dijonay's chuckle turned into a choked gasp and they followed her eyes. 

Penny and Zoey's mouth dropped. 

Steven was walking towards them in his ripped jeans and the red sweater Penny had picked out for him. The sweater was zipped up halfway and his black shirt showing underneath. 

"Wow, did I say he was fizzine before?" said Dijonay. "That boy right there is fiizzooooine." 

Penny and Zoey nodded with their mouths still open. 

"Oh, pahleeaase. Have some respect for yourselves." 

Penny and Zoey shut their mouths as all three women looked to their left and glared at the teen's bored and depreciating look. 

Steven looked over at the girl. 

"So he put on a sweater and a pair of jeans. So what."

"LaCienega why you always have to say something?" said Penny. 

"Yeah, he's hot and you know it." said Dijonay. 

"Yeah." Zoey agreed. 

Dijonay got up and walked over to him. "Man, don't worry about her." Steven watched as the girl came over to him with a sensual stare. "She just doesn't want to admit how good looking you are." she stopped and puckered her lips. "But _I'm_ not afraid to admit it." she shimmied her shoulders and rubbed them against his. 

"Uh.." he leaned away slightly. "Okay." he tried to hold back the uncomfortable look on his face. 

"Now show me a lil strut." 

" 'A strut'?" 

"Yeah! A strut _and_ a pose." she walked just a few steps behind him and stopped. "Like this." Dijonay took her steps forward as she leaned side to side. Her shoulders tilting dramatically with every step as she leaned herself backwards. "Come on now. Show me what you got, Cool Whip." 

"Uh.." he started walking up and began to mimick her perfectly, though with a look of unsureness. Every leg he kicked out he dipped his shoulders downwards as his back was acute to the floor. 

"Yeahh, put a little bop into it now." she encouraged. She demonstrated with bounce to her walk as she swung her arms. 

Steven did the same.

He swayed his arms along his sides as he bent his knees more. He leaned further back as he tilted his shoulders.

"Yeaaaah, there we go! There we go!" 

He kept the bop walk going and he made a u-turn and started bopping away from them. 

He heard cheering and a, "Let's see that walk again!"

He couldn't deny that complacent feeling that was bubbling slightly in his chest.

They liked they ensemble and he was being complimented.

A good feeling.

He turned back around and bopped back over.

He heard a wolf whistle from Dijonay. "Yeaahh! Work that bop!"

He swung his arms and bounced on his bent legs and his back was nearly parallel to the floor.

Dijoney leaned over towards Penny. "Cool Whip here got some moves." she whispered giddily. "He learned that within seconds."

"Yeah, he got some moves."

They watched the boy in his broad, sunny smile as he strut towards them.

"Now strike a pose!" Dijonay shouted.

He crossed his arms and held his elbows. He kicked a leg out in front of him as he turned his torso slightly to the side. 

Another wolf whistle was heard from Dijonay. "That's what I'm talking about! You working those clothes!"

"Yeah?" he cheesed. 

"Yeah!" she shouted. She was holding up a shirt that she'd gotten at some point of his strut. "Here! Try another!" she threw the shirt and he caught it.

"Now let's see you work THAT one!"

He looked at the purple buttoned down shirt. 

Well, he definitely had an audience.

And, he was liking it.

He looked up at them and smiled.

_Looks like it's time for me to put on a little show._

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steven was throwing on a huge knitted scarf around his neck for his last outfit. 

One by one he and the goruo had been trying out clothes, be it as a single piece or as a whole ensemble. 

Everyone was having a good time. 

Even LaCienega, which shouldn't been a surprise having that she loved the attention. 

Steven looked at his self in the mirror at his attire. 

Dark brown combat boots, brown pants folded just at the top of his shoes, a mottled and striped sweater varying in shades of brown, a military green jacket and this warm scarf that he had on with dark brown shades. 

Not too shabby. 

He really was having a good time as they took pictures, with them offering to take pictures of his self with his phone.

He was remembering the time in Korea with his dad again. How they were trying out various clothing.

And _now_ he was making new memories with the locals. 

He took out his phone. 

He'd tried on a variety of clothing, but this one seemed to really pop out to him. 

Either that or all of the pictures, whistling and compliments were.. more or less getting to his head now. 

Or both.

He snapped a few photos in different poses and quickly went to his FaceSpace page. 

He used the last photo of him and avoided adding where he was and captioned the picture before hashtagging it under a specific lingo he'd heard Penny and Dijonay use a lot. 

**Trying out some new outfits. Very comfortable. 10 out of 10. #Fizzine**

Hopefully he spelled that correctly.

He posted the photo, put the phone back in his pocket, took his bags from the seat and left out of the dressing room. 

He walked pass a few more dressing rooms before turning the corner for the opening. 

"Yeaahh, GO 'head, Penny! GO 'head!" Dijonay shouted out her encouragement. "Go 'head whitcho bad self!" she snapped a few more pictures.

Penny was posing as Steven was walking up to them. The girl's back facing him. 

Dijonay's jaw dropped as she lowered Penny's cellphone from her face and Zoey's jaw dropped along with hers. 

LaCienega's eyebrows went up slightly before stopping abruptly. She scoffed and turned her head.

Penny turned to see what the two were looking at.

Her jaw went slack and her mouth hung loose.

She made a full pan from his shoes, pass the surprised and at awe look on his face and all the way up to the curls on his head. 

Steven was looking back at Penny's beautiful attire.

Her sleek, black pants and her green blouse and scarf.

_Wow.. look at her._

"Wow." and her eyes relaxed as she smirk. "Now _that_ has to be _the_ best outfit we chose for you."

"Yeaahh." said Dijonay. "You're like, an Andercomby & Flitch model or something." 

He smiled.

"He's alright." LaCienega mumbled.

His smile fell.

"Quit saying that LaCienega." said Penny.

Dijonay walked up to him. "You definitely need a picture in _these_ clothes." 

_Just like all of the other times._

He let out a little giggle at that.

He pulled out his phone and went to his camera and handed the device to her.

She immediately began snapping pictures at him.

He posed a few times as Dijonay complimented him on his attire and his face. 

More compliments and whistles from the girls and flashes from his cell phone were thrown at him before LaCienega rolled her eyes with a huff. She got up and fixed the jacket she'd just put on minutes ago. "Okay, okayy. I think we've done enough trying on clothes." she said impatiently with a tap of her heels. _Now_ can we go?" 

Dijonay lowered his phone from her eyes. "Dang girl. No need to be so testy." she snapped.

"Come on, guys." Penny's voice was a mix of irritation and resisting anger. "Let's just leave before the big baby starts throwing a tantrum." 

"Hmph!" she turned her nose up to them. _"I'm_ just not trying to waste all of my time in one store." she marched off and towards the check-out. 

Penny shook her head. "Seriously, Steven. You _really_ don't have to worry about her. That's how she is."

_Why?_

_Maybe I could talk to her and help her?-_

He tried abruptly quieting those thoughts.

Right now, he had to focus on his journey and focus on his mental health.

He watched her march towards the counter.

_But.. I just can't help it.._

_Maybe I can talk to her.. just a teeny.. tiny bit-?_

"Don't even fret over that girl." 

He looked over at Dijonay.

"She ain't worth it." her voice was airy and she was anything but concerned. "So, are you going to wear those clothes out or wear your old ones?"

"I'll wear the old ones. I don't want to ruin these clothes." 

"Tsk, aww.. And I was hoping you would wear them."

Penny laid a hand on Dijonay's shoulder and cut in with a, "We'll meet you at the front." 

They let the boy go back to the dressing room and they went to the counter to pay for their clothes.

It didn't take Steven long for him to change out of his stylish clothes into the ones he'd worn to the mall and he picked up his bags once again and left the dressing room for the second to last time.

He opened the door back and peered into the room to make sure he hadn't left anything, then he left the dressing room for the _last_ time.

By the time he got to the counter, Dijonay was being rung up while LaCienega, Penny and Zoey were waiting at the entrance.

"Wow, you getting all of that?" Dijonay asked.

"Yeah." he said. He didn't necessarily see what the big deal was.

Throughout his montage of trying out various clothes, he'd picked out certain things he'd liked and put the rest back. The last attire had been the only getup he actually wanted the whole ensemble of.

Then there was Penny's scarf and a nice blue sweater with the ocean on it for Lapis.

 _Just_ in case she in fact _didn't_ mind wearing human clothing. 

"You're not worrying about all of that interest?" _'Interest'?_ "You might want to watch out with all that spending." Zoey wanted him.

LaCienega scoffed. "Yeah, lest you turn out like Penny and get your card declined when trying to buy some cheap ice cream." she and Dijonay laughed, though the teen in question didn't think it was funny. "Whatever. My dad paid it all off anyway." 

"Yeah, with your _mom's_ money."

"That'll be sixty-two thirty." the sales associate said. 

Dijonay took out her credit card and now with a closer look, Steven realized that the card _did_ in fact, have a moustache. 

Dijonay swiped the card and began putting her pin into the card reader. 

"Aye, don't you listen to Tweedledee and Tweedledum over there." the card spoke. 

_Wait a m-... did that card just t-?_

"Use that beautiful, pretty card of yours. It's a _credit_ card. That means that _that_ card. needs to be _SPENT_ , be maxed _out_. Eheh, you heard me?"

_Yes? .. maybe?_

_Is this a new power? Can I.. talk to inanimate objects now?_

Dijonay was putting her card back in when he made a very, smug click of his teeth. "Tck, tck." as she placed the card back into her bag.

Oo..kay?

Or maybe he was seeing and hearing things?

"Are you ready, Sir?"

"Huh?" he turned his attention to the young woman as the group exchanged skeptic glances. "Uh-yeah." he put the pair of jeans and the shirts, shoes, scarves and sweaters on the counter. 

The young woman was quick at ringing up and bagging everything. She placed the last article of clothing in the bag before reaching over and grabbing a small, rectangular bottle. She held it up in front of him. "Did you want to try out our perfume?" 

Why not?

"Sure."

Dijonay was watching the woman spray the perfume just a couple times on Steven's sleeve. 

He brought his arm up and gave the jacket a sniff. A huge smile came across his face. 

"Good. He didn't freak out like last time." she chuckled.

"Dijonay, too soon." said Penny. "And that's not funny either." 

"What, home boy good." she gestured at Steven with her palm up. "He's even buying it now."

They heard the sales woman say, "five hundred and fifty-eight dollars."

Then they saw him swipe his credit card.

"Okay, now that dude _has_ to be rich." said Dijonay. "He's just spending money like it's nothing! And, on a _credit_ card at that! Maybe he's some kind of.. rich bumpkin?" 

"Hmm.. oooooor maybe some kind of sheltered rich kid." said Zoey.

"That _would_ explain that nice varsity jacket he has on and how clear his skin is. Just look at him. He definitely has some professional skin care spa."

"Maybe. But that wouldn't explain why he's never seen an escalator even if he's rich." LaCienega added her two cents in.

Zoey shrugged. "Maybe he and his family uses hoverboards or those future tube thingys you see on those futuristic movies. You know, the ones that aucks you up?" then she gasped and said in a hushed tone. "Or _maybe_ , they have some kind of crystal block that teleports you to places." 

Steven was picking up his bags. 

"Thanks for the tip." said the lady. "I'll try out that skin care routine. See if it works out for me." 

"All the best." he said and waved and turned around. The group was in laughter, say for only one. "Yeah, you trippin now, Zoey." said Dijonay.

_I.. didn't see her fall.._

He saw Dijonay look right at him as he walked up. "Oh, sh sh, he's coming." she whispered. Then she said with her voice a bit louder, "Heyyyy.." the eyes on her face grew wide. "Uh.." 

"Steven." Penny whispered to her. 

"Steveeeen." she cheesed widely as she waved just her fingers in a wave. 

"Uh.. hey?" he waved back. 

"Uhhhh.." Dijonay looked to her friends-

"We were just heading out." Penny butt in. "We're going to check out some more stores.' 

He nodded with a smile. "Sure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steven's last attire is from this photo 😝
> 
> https://images.app.goo.gl/rewt17wVYXtQuptf6


	8. More stores

They'd went to another store that _wasn't_ Viviana's Secret, much to LaCienega's dismay. 

They'd came across another clothing store and decided to run in and have a quick look. 

That needed up being them trying on clothes once more. 

Steven was looking at his self in a small mirror on top of one of the tables. He was looking at a pair of glasses he put on his face.

There was a guffaw of laughter behind him.

He turned around and was taken aback. 

He felt his eyes widen and his mouth tightened to a thin line.

He was quiet. 

Dijonay was standing behind the mannequins. 

One male mannequin behind a female mannequin who.. was bent down in front of him. 

Both of their pants down.

Steven blushed. 

Amongst the laughter from them, LaCienega looked up at a very uncomfortable Steven. She pointed at him and began laughing harder. 

The three of them looked to where she was pointing and saw the boy's red face. 

Penny's laughter had diminished, though Dijonay and Zoey's laughter erupted into more guffaws. 

Steven turned away to look at the embarrassed, red look on his face in the mirror. 

  
  


Steven had long sinced walked farther away from them and was focusing more on pretending to look at clothes as the crew put the mannequins in more _compromising_ positions before they were escorted out, with Steven following after them. 

Though they managed to sweet talk their selves back into the store to at least pay for the clothes they'd picked out, then leave back out. 

Within that time Steven had found a purple sweater for Amethyst. 

The group was walking pass more stores and Steven was once again, looking around the bright, stylised shops. 

That is.. until his eyes came across..

He stopped and turned to his side and looked on with wide, awestruck eyes. 

The crew was walking farther away when Penny noticed the lack of footsteps behind her. She turned around to see Steven who'd looked a mixture of shock and disbelief. 

"Steven?" 

The three turned around to see Penny looking at Steven yards away from them and with his mouth slightly ajar. 

LaCienega let out a sigh. "Oh boy.. what now?" 

"I'll ask." said Penny.

Steven's eyes were going over the fur once more. The pink coloring that gave way to the light pink of its mane with the hair of the mane out and floofy passed it's upright ears.

Feelings of longingness was coming to the fore-

"Something up?" 

The voice pushed through his thoughts and he was pulled back to the present, though the feelings were sticking to his mind the more his eyes stared at the mechanical animal.

"Uh? Just.. I was just looking at those animals over there." he pointed.

Penny looked over to see no more than eight or ten two feet high, plush, electric rides on the other side of the mall. 

A kid no more than six or seven was throwing his leg over the animal. His mother was close by him as he twisted on the handles of the mechanical ride. The wheels under the animal began to glide across the floor.

"You're talking about ZOOmsterz?" she asked a bit incredulously. "You ride them throughout the mall."

Steven kept his eyes on one particular one. 

There was a penguin ZOOmster, a tiger, a cat, a dog, a whale, a horse, a butterfly, a bear, etc, all in various colors-

But _his_ eyes were on a pink Lion that was right between a bumblebee and the bear.

They heard footsteps coming up to them.

"Oh pleaaaase don't tell me that he wants to go over there." said LaCienega.

Steven looked over at her. The boy clearly disappointed and looking discouraged.

Penny fixed her a glare. "And if he _does_ LaCienega?"

She smacked her teeth with a huff.

"We can check it out if you want." said Penny. 

He nodded his head ardently with a smile. 

_"You_ four can check it out." said LaCienega. _"I_. won't." 

Penny ignored her. "Let's go." 

She and Steven walked across the mall and passed a popcorn stand and made their way over to the kiosk where a young lady was standing. "Hey guys!" she greeted first with a wave.

"Hey.", "What's up?" they answered her. 

"So, you guys want to check something out or you just looking?" 

It wasn't that Steven ignored her, but more so he was distracted. His eyes kept going to the pink Lion that resembled so much like his friend. He began walking towards it and Penny and the associate looked at him a bit skeptically as he crouched down to the front of the Lion. He looked at the mechanical toy's sewn eyes and nose. 

He looked so much like him..

Steven wrapped his arms around the Lion's neck and snuggled his face into it's mane. 

More skeptical and _weirded_ out looks from the group and the young woman.

A sad smile was on his face and a small, dry chuckle came out as he turned his head the other way and hugged the Lion more. 

"That's _your_ guest, Proud." said LaCienega. 

"What is _up_ with this guy?" Dijonay whispered.

Zoey shrugged. "Maybe he likes animals? Or.. maybe the Lion reminds him of a pet?"

Penny began to walk towards him.

"Now what the heck kind of pet would remind him of a Lion, Zoey?" LaCienega queried bluntly.

"I don't know." she squeaked. "Beats me.. maybe he works at a zoo?"

"That would explain his weird obsession with this Lion, his fascination with escalators and his fear of spray bottles." she scoffed. "Maybe he's part wild cat." she and Dijonay laughed.

Penny stopped beside him. "Uh.. everything cool over here?"

The boy opened his eyes and looked up at her. His eyes were a bit misty and there was this wistful, pained look in his eyes. Moments later, it was as if he wasn't looking through her, but directly at her now. "Huh?" he blinked. "Oh.. uh.." he reluctantly and slowly leaned his face away from the comfort of the Lion's mane. "Just.. petting this Lion." 

"It's not even real." they heard LaCienega say behind him. 

His mouth dropped in a frown and sorrow casted over his eyes. "Yeah.." he brushed tenderly at the Lion's pink mane. "I know.." he looked at the Lion. 

He was missing his buddy. 

It'd been months since he'd seen him. 

What was he doing now? 

Bothering the Gems?

 _Not_ bothering them/ helping them out or having fun with them?

On some magical Lion adventure? 

Knocking stuff over?

Sleeping all day now that there was no magical Gem stuff to do anymore?

Hanging out with his best friend Connie?

"So what are we even doing here?" he heard LaCienega again. 

"LaCienega, just quit it already. If you want to hurry up and go to Viviana's Secret, then go ahead by yourself." he heard Penny say and he saw her crouch down towards him. "Look, like I've told you before, you don't have to worry about her. If you want to take a ride on these you can."

That wasn't necessarily in his mind. He just really, _really_ missed his Lion.. 

"Oh you _got_ to be kidding me." they looked at LaCienega. "I would _not_ even be caught _dead_ riding that thing."

"Okay?" Penny narrowed her eyes at her. "LaCienega, this isn't about you."

"All I'm saying Proud, is that if him, or anyone else here wants to get on those filthy, childish things, _y'all_ be my guest. _I'm_ going to Viviana's secret."

  
  


~~~~~

Stores moved steadily pass on either side as the mechanical animal glided across the polished brown floors.

Steven had decided to take a ride on the ZOOmsterz. 

If he'd been asked this when he was trying to heavily enforce his self as a teenager and growing young man with important duties, he most likely would've shunned it away big time and would've reminded the Gems or anyone else how he wasn't a kid anymore. 

But now, since his time being on the road and doing things like sightseeing landmarks and going to various eateries and not much activities geared towards teenagers, now he was missing doing things like this. 

And.. now he was thinking that, maybe he'd been trying to grow up a bit _too_ fast then.

And that perhaps it was okay to just stop and just be his thirteen year old self again. 

He'd wasted nearly half of it anyway when he was with the Gems in training and it all started with his Gem powers and them reluctantly letting him go on Gem missions. Then, it was the time with Lapis.. then, once Jasper came to Earth, he'd became so busy with Gem related activities directly afterwards and he'd been doing that for the next several years of his life. 

But now, it was time to get a bit of that childhood fun back in his life.

And, that was paying twenty dollars for a half an hour to sit on a mechanical animal scooter and looking like a kid as he rode on pass people with a huge smile on his face. 

And it made him feel like a kid.. but again, he needed to relax a bit. Stop trying to grow up too fast and get just a small taste of what little kids did. 

He passed by a few smaller children during his ride and he gave them a wave and a friendly smile. 

Penny rode up to him. "How are you liking it?"

Well.. it wasn't like actually riding on Lion and it definitely wasn't like going through one of his portals or even going through a Crystal stream or heck, even when he floats, but he still liked it. 

"It's different." he said. "And it's way more comfortable than I though it would be."

"Yeah, it's not too bad." she looked back at the crew. 

Dijonay and Zoey were riding side by side each other and laughing and LaCienega was just behind them and with a pouting look on her face as she rode on the butterfly.

"Ooooo, let's have a race in these!' Dijonay suggested. 

"Heh, you're on." said Penny. She slowed her ZOOmster down to a stop and Steven backed up to align his ZOOmster with hers.

"Really, Dijonay? A race in these? What are we, kids?" 

"According to my dad I still am." she retorted. She stopped beside Penny and Zoey stopped beside her.

LaCienega gave another roll of her eyes for the umpteenth time, though she'd stopped her ZOOmster beside Zoey's.

"Okay." Dijonay looked to her left, then her right. "On three. One... two.........." 

Moments later and she still hadn't said anything.

"Dijonay," LaCienega spoke up. "Just hurry up and say-"

"Three!" she twisted up on the handlebars and rode off and Steven, Penny and Zoey rode off just a half second later with LaCienega riding off last. "Dijonay!" 

She turned around and stuck her tongue out at them. "Ya girl gonna win this!" she turned back around. "Last one at the ZOOmsterz kiosk has to kiss Myron!" she teased.

Steven didn't know who this 'Myron' person was, but it made Penny, Zoey and LaCienega grimace. 

She looked back at Steven, "or Agatha!" she added.

He.. _also_ didn't know who this 'Agatha' person was.

Dijonay was still in the front, though Steven, Penny and Zoey was just behind her. 

LaCienega kept getting blocked by people and was steadily getting farther and farther behind.

"Oh, come on! Move out of my way!" she banked left and heard a yelp from an elderly woman she barely missed hitting. "Oh, calm down. I didn't hit you." she was coming towards two more people. "¡Oye!(Hey!) ¡Quítense de en medio! (Get out of my way!)" she swerved pass them and was coming towards a vacant kiosk. She growled out a sigh and turned the handle hard to the left and just nicked the side of the kiosk.

Suga Mama and Papi were shuffling out of a nearby store when LaCienega rode pass them and the older woman jumped back before she could get hit. "Hey, aye, aye, watch, I, say why don't you kids WATCH where you going!" she yelled as she waved her cane in the air. She grumbled under her breath as she put her cane down and began shuffling forwards once more. With a shake of her head she said, "Teenagers these days." she said right into the elderly man's smug smiling face. "Where are there heads?"

"Y _dónde_ está tu aliento de menta?" (And _where_ is your breath mint?) "WooHA! WooHAHAHA!" 

LaCienega swerved between a group of people and into the clear. Now with a clear view in front of her with people now getting out of her way, she saw the four of them long ahead of her. 

"Oh no you guys don't." she grumbled under her breath.

Steven was now in front, with Penny, Dijonay and Zoey just a foot behind him.

"Help!" 

"Huh?" he looked back and saw the others look back too.

"Help!" 

They saw Lacienega on her side and on the ground. The ZOOmster laying on top of her as she "struggled" to push it off of her. 

"Is she serious right now?" Dijonay wasn't convinced.

"Help! I need help!" 

They girls groaned and sighed. 

"She's really doing this." said Zoey.

"We're not going to do anything?" Steven asked.

"This is LaCienega. We can see _right_ through her." said Penny. "She's only doing this because she was losing."

"Please! Someone! Anybody! Heeeeelp!" her voice was every bit staged.

Steven looked back at Penny's bored look. "So.. we're just going to let her keep going?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Dijonay cut in to answer.

Penny and Zoey mumbled out their agreements.

"But-"

"Heeeelp! Aheeeh heeeeh." her cry was just as fake as her acting.

Steven looked over at the teen flailing her arms and legs. He looked back at the group. "Even if she _may_ be acting. Maybe we should still go over there?"

"And waste our time with her?" Dijonay asked incredulously.

Steven shrugged.

Penny couldn't help but smile at the boy. "I say we go." Dijonay and Zoey looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "To humor us." she said casually and turned her ZOOmster around. "Come on. Let's go."

"I can't believe we're really being pulled into this drama queen's act." said Dijonay. She and Zoey followed Penny and Steven to the teen.

LaCienega was still fake crying on the ground.

Penny and Steven stopped beside her and she looked up at them and gasped. "There you two are." she acted. "Help! I'm stuck under this ZOOmster." she placed the back of her hand on her forehead. "It's too heavy. I can't push it off of me."

Penny rolled her eyes and Steven got off of his ZOOmster. He lifted it up with ease. Whether it was due to his Gem strength, or that any teen his age could've picked the light motorized scooter up was anyone's guess.

He set the butterfly back on it's wheels.

LaCienega feigned hurt. She groaned as she slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position. "Wow. I don't think I would've _ever_ gotten that off of me." she mocked whimpered. 

"Look, he got the scooter off of you. Now quit playing and get up." said Dijonay. 

LaCienega shot her a glare before her face softened to that of "oh, woe is me" as she frowned and closed her eyes. "I'm hurt, Dijonay. I, think I need some help getting up." she fluttered her eyes back open.

"Good luck finding someone who wou-"

Steven was holding out a hand for her and she grabbed it daintily.

"Of course.." Dijonay mumbled under her breath.

LaCienega continued her act as Steven helped her to her feet. "Oh, thank you." she said softly, _dramatically_. Then she turned her face to Dijonay. "Unlike. _some_. people. who would just let you sit there and struggle and not help you."

Dijonay's bored look didn't waver. 

Not even slightly.

LaCienega held onto Steven's hand to milk the act more to give off the appearance that he was helping her. She threw her leg over the idled butterfly and sat back down. "Thanks again." she said gently. She let go of his hand gently and placed it on the handlebar.

"No probl-"

LaCienega rode pass them. "HAHA! Losers!" sh turned back around and barely swerved out of the way of a mother and a stroller. 

"Oooooo, oh no she DIDN'T just do that!" Dijonay yelled.

"Yup." said Zoey. "She just. did."

The four of them exchanged glances in silence..

Before Steven quickly scrambled to his ZOOmster and Penny, Dijonay and Zoey turned theirs around. The teens laughed as they all nearlycollided with each other to ride their ZOOmsters forward.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There's the store!" LaCienega cheered. 

It'd taken just five minutes to get there from the ZOOmsterz kiosk.

All in all, it seemed as though everyone had their fun, even LaCienega, though the teen continued to deny such feelings. She'd even feigned excitement for the Viviana's Secret store and quickly made her way away from the kiosk and towards the direction of the store.

Now, they were approaching a store that..

Steven's face began to heat up.

Within the pink and black banners of the store's display window were photos of women dressed in only a bra and underwear and posing rather..

He looked away.

Only for LaCienega to say aloud, "You're not coming?" 

He'd stopped moments prior and was standing away from the entrance they were walking through.

"Are you.. sure I can go in there?"

There was a snort from her. "Well duh. Lot's of guys shop here too." 

He looked unsure. 

"Look, all there is is some women in underclothes. Who cares?" 

"Well.." 

"You caaan.. get your girlfriend some sexy lingerie~." she said to indirectly get a specific question she'd wanted answered.

"I don't." he shook his head. "I don't have a girlfriend."

_Not anymore.._

"Oh?" she looked enthused as everyone else looked shocked. "A fine boy like you?" Dijonay asked. 

"Uh.. yeah? I'm.. doing fine?"

The three laughed as they shook their heads, say for Penny who was trying to be respectful. 

"That's probably why." said Dijonay.

LaCienega and Zoey laughed harder, though he didn't know what had been so funny.

"Still, that's good news." said Dijonay. "You can scope out chicks." she puckered her lips at him. "And, good looking ones who'll treat you right." she winked.

"Oh.. um.. I mean.. I'm.. not really looking right now." 

"Mmmhmm." she hummed with a grin. "That's what you say _now_."

He didn't quite know what to say to that. 

He simply wasn't looking right now, but he didn't want to necessarily tell her off either.

"Oh stop trying to get at him, Dijonay." said LaCienega. You have your man Sticky." her eyes were now on Steven. "So, you going or not? We're just going to check out a few things." she said sharply. 

"I.. well.."

"LaCienega, if he doesn't want to go in, then he doesn't have to."

She looked at the uncomfortable look on the boy's face, then looked over at the warning glare from Penny. 

"Fine." she said. _"Don't_ go in then." and she walked pass them.

"Just chill here for a bit." said Penny. "We won't be long." she turned around and started through the door and thought, "Then again, it _is_ LaCienega's favorite store we're talking about." she grumbled to herself. 

Steven walked over to a bench sitting across from a Grove of fake, plotted trees. He sat down and took out his phone and immediately checked his FaceSpace page. 

He'd already gotten so many likes and comments and shares on his photo from just an hour and a half ago.

He clicked on the photo and began reading and commenting on comments under the post.

The first one being Pearl, _who's somehow always the very first person to like, share and comment,_ who'd commented on him being 'so handsome'. 

**GregUniverse@Delmarva.LOA.com: Hey! Th8s reminds meof that time inning Korea!@**

**Kiki-the-good-twin: Awww, you look so handsome! And SO much older!**

Amethyst had replied to Kiki's comment.

**Amethyst Facet-5 Cut-8XG: It's because he has a neck now! Too bad that big scarf is blocking it.**

Ah yes.. was _anyone_ going to stop joking and teasing him about him finally "growing a neck"..

Puberty had been good to him; however, no one has commented on his growth spurt, or his newfound stubble or how deep his voice had gotten or the control of his Gem powers. 

Nope.

They were only focused on the fact that his neck was now more noticeable..

How nice of them.

With a playful roll of his eyes and a smirk on his face, he began typing his comment to Amethyst.

  
  


The group was walking away from the counter and heading for the entrance. 

LaCienega had saw the boy sitting down by the plastic pine trees and looking down at his phone.

She had a devious idea.

"Hey, you guys." her smile was naughty. Mischievous. "Let's take the boy to S'Traviesta."

"Ooooo that freaky deak store?" Dijonay asked.

LaCienega's voice was filled with a deviancy, teasing and naughtiness as she said, _"Yeaah."_

"I don't know guys. Y'all saw how uncomfortable he got with the mannequins and with those Viviana's Secret photos." she gestured with her finger at the display window. "Maybe he's from some kind of conservative family in the south? You know, like those conservative guys."

"Ooooooo, I like breaking _them_ in. Gives me a lil challenge. Eheh heyyy." she turned to LaCienega. "Girl, let's do this." 

Penny shook her head. "This is _not_ a good idea." 

"Oh, come on, Penny." said Zoey. "It'll be educationaaal." she teased. 

"More like _dysfunctionaaal_." she mocked. "Y'all know this ain't right." 

"Oh, can it Proud. I don't see what you're so adamant about it." 

"Because this is _wrong_."

"Whatever, Proud."

They made it out of the store.

Steven was on his phone.

"Watch this." LaCienega started her way towards him. "Hey, Stephan."

She saw the boy look up from his typing. "Uh. It's, Steven." 

"That's what I said." she said airily. She stopped just beside him. "Say, Steven. We reaally want you to come check out this _next_ store with us. You're definitely going to like it."

She watched his face soften to a bit of surprise. "Yeah?" she saw a wary smile come to his face. "Where are we going?" 

"It's a surprise."

The dubious feel was still there, but he still nodded with a, "Can't wait to see this store."

Everyone started to laugh, except for Penny and with that, he started to feel even more skeptical, though he didn't anything further.

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~

The five of them was approaching a store with black display windows.

_Hmm.. what kind of store has windows you can't even see out of?_

He heard the crew begin to giggle, _except for Penny_ as they started for the entrance. From the outside they could see black shirts and graphic tees. 

Still skeptical and curious, Steven walked inside with them. 

The store was even more dimly lit than that other store they'd went in to try on clothes and it had more black and gray in its color pallet; the walls, the carpet, the shirts, the tables, nearly everything was black and gloomy or mysterious.

"We gotta go in the back." he heard LaCienega up front. 

The five of them walked pass various folded shirts and boxes of candy, beanie hats, lava lamps and other items and farther towards the back of the store and he noticed the four of them sticking their giggles. 

They were walking pass the DVD section where the labels simply said "DVD" and instead of seeing the actual DVD covers, there was a single white rectangular paper over them, blocking the covers. 

Kinda odd to have that over DVD covers. 

"Hey, Steven. I wanted to get your opinion about something." said LaCienega. 

He looked away from the blank white papers on the shelves and looked up. 

His eyes went to what she was holding. 

He froze. 

Within plastic was a pair of women's-

He kept his eyes on them longer than he should've and instantly felt guilty as he looked away. 

..only to see more _explicit_ things on the walls and tables. Majority of the items without him even knowing what they were for, and the rest being shaped like the female and male anatomy.

He looked away from the back of the store behind her and back to the rectangular papers on the DVDs. 

"So what do you think?" he heard LaCienega say, but didn't bother looking at her. "Wanted to get _your_ take on it. Do you like these? Or.. do you prefer something bigger? Smaller? Or something more.. _real?"_ she looked at the blush on his face and began to cackle. 

"Oooo, or maybe you like something like these." Dijonay jumped in front of him and pushed her chest out. On her shirt were two tassels dangling from her chest. 

Steven took a step back as he felt the heat of his face spread to his ears. 

Dijonay went for moving her torso around to make the tassels twirl. He looked away from the red strings and tried to ignore the laughter from the three girls. 

"Alright guys. You two need to chill. It's time to stop." said Penny. 

"Whaaat, we're just having a little fun." said LaCienega. She waved the plastic pair in her hand. "Come on, Steven. You act like you've never seen these before." she teased. 

"Maybe he hasn't." Dijonay instigated. 

"I'll.." he squeaked. "I'll.. just be outside." he took a step back before running away from them.

"Woooooow. He couldn't even last two minutes in this place." said LaCienega. She set the fake pair of boobs down on the shelf with a snort. "That guy's a total virgin."

"And if he is?" Penny quickly queried. "LaCienega, you need to stop insulting him. If he doesn't want to see these then he doesn't need to. That's just not his thing."

"Yeah, well. At least he got a _little_ action." she teased. "Probably the most he's ever gotten." 

Penny ignored her and turned to Zoey and Dijonay. "Look, we've wasted our time with this. Let's just go." 

Dijonay was moving her torso side to side and watching the tassels bounce around in the mirror. 

"Dijonay!"

She turned around. "Huh?" she snatched the tassles off her. "Coming!"

Steven was standing on the other side of the mall, far away from the store. 

Beside him was a clothing store that sold a lot of plaid and acid wash jeans. Above him was a sign that said, 'PacMoon'. 

From the corner of his eye, he saw Penny jogging up to him.

"Sorry about that back there." she began quickly. 

He kept his mouth closed then. He had to get his thoughts together and figure out what to say exactly. 

He'd been lured into _that_ kind of store. 

What was the whole point of that exactly?

Penny saw the hard, yet hurt stare at her. 

"I'm _really_ sorry. My girls are.. just like that at times. They play too much, but they still cool." she said, then quickly added, "But they shouldn't had done that and I shouldn't had allowed that. I'm sorry."

That'd been a quick yet sincere apology. 

The look on her face showed even more remorse. 

But within his small, uncomfortable bubble and his red cheeks.. as he thought about what her friends did, as he _really_ thought about it, he realized that what they'd done had been some pointless teenager stuff. 

And quit frankly speaking, their actions somewhat reminded him of Amethyst and the Famethysts. They're pranksters and he could actually see them doing the same thing. They were shameless Gems and he could easily see them throwing those items around _whether they knew what they were or not_ and laughing about it. He could even see them throwing those items at him to get a rile out of him.

Her friends weren't any different, apart from them being human. 

".. lieve me. They are _not_ going to do that again." 

There was a sad and understandable side smile that came to his face. He shrugged. "I know some friends who would do the exact same thing." he said. "Though I still wished I could've gotten a heads up." he scratched at his neck and he knew his face was still red. "I.. was not expecting that." 

"Yeah, I see." and with his nervous smile, he could see a smirk coming with hers. "You're as red as a tomato." she saw her friends coming up. She turned back to him. "Hey, if you want, I can send all three of them flying across this hall." 

"Oh, uh.." he shook his head. "That's okay. That won't be necessary." 

Sending them flying across the hall?

Was she trying to make him laugh?

Well it _did_ work.

"Okay then. Suit yourself."

"Okay, so is everything good over here now?" LaCienega butt in. "We still have pleeenty of other shops to go to." 

"Oh hold on now, LaCienega. I'm getting pretty hungry." said Dijonay. "We've been in this mall for hours now. Time for us to have a break and eat."

"I agree with Dijonay." said Zoey. "We need nourishments to help fuel us for more walking and shopping around in the mall."

"Yeah, Dijonay and Zoey has a point." said Penny. "Not only that, but we can finally take Steven to Wiz Kel's Shaved Ice & Slushies." 

"Fiiiine." said LaCienega. _"Then_ we'll do some more shopping."

"Looks like we're gonna get our grub on." Penny said to him. "You down with that?" she grinned. 

"Yeah." he said, then tried to say it just like her and with just as much flavor in his voice, "I'm down with that." 

He heard laughter erupt from the group and Dijonay said within the guffaws, "Homeboy tryin', he tryin'."


	9. The Food Court

It certainly was a sight to see.

So many eateries.

So many people.

So many bright lights.

So many smells.

Various small restaurants aligned the circular food court and the area was bustling with people leaving and hurrying to a table, waiting in lines or taking samples. 

The area was decorated with bright lights hanging across the ceiling and the lights from the restaurants only complimented the area even more. 

Steven followed the girls across the light brown polished floors and he stayed ever close to not get left behind within the crowds of people

"So where we going to eat at?" Dijonay asked. 

"Maybe somewhere with a shorter line?" LaCienega retorted. The four of them looked around to see nothing but long lines at all of the popular restaurants.

Steven stepped beside Penny. "Are there any vegan restaurants here?" 

"Yeah." she realized. "We do actually." a quick idea came to her mind. "Hey, girls." 

The three of them slowed their pace and looked back at them.

"How about we go to El Vegano?" she suggested.

"You mean that vegan restaurant?" Zoey asked. 

"Whaat?" Dijonay scrunched up her face.

"Hmm. A place that serves food that's not greasy _and_ that doesn't have a lot of carbs or fattening calories?" LaCienega gave it a thought. "Well, usually I don't let other people tell me where and what I should eat. But, in this case I'll make an exception. I can definitely go for some healthy vegan food." 

"And I did hear that that place has some good fries." 

UH uh. Noo way." Dijonay objected. "I needs ma meat. Pork, beef, chicken, ox, goat, fish. Girl gotta eat good."

"Dijonay." Penny interrupted.

"Whaat? Ain't my fault he vegetarian or, vegan or whatever. He eats that rabbit food, I gotta eat that too? UH uh."

"Come on, Dijonay. Have a little respect." said Zoey.

"I do have respect. I respect his opinion of eating plants and fruit and he should respect mine of wanting to dig my teeth into a porkchop."

"Dijonay." Penny interrupted once more.

"Sorry girl. Eheh. I need to keep my figure." she turned away from them. "I'll meet y'all later. I'm heading over to Wiz McBurgers. They know how to treat a girl right." she began walking away.

"Sorry about that. Dijonay's pretty stuck in her ways." said Penny. "But at least _we'll_ go with you." 

"Thanks." said Steven. "And, I don't mean to enforce anything on people anyway." he quickly clarified.

Steven followed the three of them over towards Wiz Kel's Shaved Ice & Slushies. 

From where they were walking, they could already see a long line nearly wrapping around the small store. 

"We're going to get this out of the way." Penny said to Steven. "Then we'll head over to El Vegano." 

"That's fine with me." 

Eventually they'd made it to the end of the line. Just a few feet in front of them was an electronical sign saying '15 minute wait time from this point'. Moments later and the sign winked out and said, 'Please enjoy this video as you wait for your delicious Shaved Ice or Slushy'. 

The sign winked out again and a dark skinned man was on screen. Only the top of his chest to the bottom of his nose being shown on screen. His pearly whites were noticeable against the black background and his blue suit. 

"A pleasure to see everyone here today and getting one of your Wizard's famous Shaved Ice and Slushy." the man began. "The Wizard here always love to see people enjoying his food. And that includes your Wizard's Shaved Ice and Slushies. We got all flavors. We got Cherry, Watermelon, Cherry-Watermelon, Watermelon-Cherry, Black Cherry, Blue Hawaiian, Banana, Pear, Fruit Candy Blast, Orange, Guava, Fruit Punch, Lemonade, Pink Lemonade, Passion Mango, Pineapple, Sour Green Apple, Strawberry Kiwi, Cotton Candy-" the man went on for another two long minutes. "..Blackberry, Boysenberry, Blueberry, Elderberry, Açai Berry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Halle Berry, eheh, _that's_ extra. Peach, Peach _Cobbler_ , Chocolate Cake, Strawberry Cake, Hotcakes, Flapjacks, French Fries, Pie, Apple Pie, Key Lime Pie, Coffee bean, Coconut and, we even got Churro, Tres Leches and Salsa Valentina flavor for all our fly Latinos y Latinas out there." his head turned to look at someone off-screen. "Isn't that right Martín?" 

"¡¡Óóóóóóóralee!!"

"He knows what's up." the man's mouth and turned back to the screen. "And now that _you_ do too, it's time for you to make your decision. Which Wiz Kel's flavors am I gonna get? So many options, so little time. And the Wizard don't have much time either, especially since the suckas here aren't trying to pay the Wiz more money for a longer video. And with that being said, the Wiz is going to end this video short. But after this video, there will be yet, _another_ short five minute video of your Wiz's top ten highlights of his basketball game from last year's game. And with that, I can sit back and get my royalties from this video. That's it. The Wiz ain't saying no more." 

The video cut abruptly and a basketball game began to play on screen. A view of Wizard Kelly with his back turned and running towards the hoop was being shown. 

The word 「Copyright」 plastered diagonally over the video, making it a bit more difficult to see the game. 

Indistinguishable chatter began to cut through the already noisy food court as people in line began to discuss what they could get.

"Wow.. those are a lot of flavors." said Steven. 

"Yeah, it sounds like a lot." Penny brushed it off. "But I already know which ones I want to get for us."

  
  


Fourteen minutes passed and they were next. 

The person in front of them was taking their longest to order just one thing.

Steven, with a near annoyed look on his face, continued to mouth out the words from the video beside them. 

「"And now that _you_ do too, it's time for you to make your decision. Which Wiz Kel's flavors am I gonna get? So many options, so little time. And the Wizard don't have much time either-」"

Penny looked over and caught Steven's mouth robotically moving to the words. She laughed. "Looks like the words are getting to your head."

Steven peeled his eyes away from the screen and looked at her. 

They'd been waiting and every few feet was the video. And every time, the same video would play, as if there was a trick wire of some sort. 

And here, there was yet, _another_ monitor playing the video. 

"It's hard _not_ to have it in your mind. The guy has put monitors all throughout the line." 

"Yeah, I know. That's just how the Wiz is. We're pretty much used to it." 

"I can take the next person in line." 

The two of them walked away from the monitor that was now playing the basketball game with Wizard Kelly jumping up and throwing the ball. 

_Swish_

Right through the net and the crowd began to cheer loudly. 

"Hello, what can I get for you two?" the young teen asked. 

"Can we get two large Slushies with Strawberry Cake, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Root Beer?"

The boy began ringing up the order. 

Steven took out his card right as Penny was taking out her cash. 

The two quickly began talking over top of each other as the other tried to pay for the Slushies. 

"Look, I was the one who offered you to try these. I'll pay for it."

"My dad has taught me better than that." he countered with a smile. "I'll pay." he turned to the teen. "We'll be paying with card." 

The teen pushed a button on the register. 

"And my mother taught me how to treat our guests." she turned to the boy. "We're paying with cash. 

He pressed a button on the screen. 

"Why can't I pay?" he smirked. 

"Oh, just let the boy pay already, Proud. You two are holding up the line."

Indistinguishable chatter of protest began to erupt behind her, agreeing with the teen. 

"LaCienega, stay back there, okay?" she retorted, not hearing Steven whisper to the boy behind her. 

She turned around to see him putting his card into the machine.

He had a coy look to his face. "Whoops. Guess it just, happened." 

Her face was in total disbelief with a smirk to her face under her raised eyebrow. 

The order was paid for and the two walked over to the right of the counter for their Slushies. They watched as the barista began putting the ice into the blinders. 

LaCienega ordered and paid for hers, then Zoey did the same. 

Just a few minutes later, a young woman was coming up to them again and this time, with two large white cups in her hands. "Order 103?" 

"That's us." said Penny. She grabbed the cups and handed one to Steven before grabbing two straws from the counter. She tilted one in her hand towards him. 

He grabbed it and started pulling down on the wrapper. 

He put the straw inside and it made that nice, iconic low squeak sound as he pushed the draw into the hole of the top. 

He took a sip of it and the cold flavors hit his tongue. The sweet strawberries and the smooth vanilla, with the sweet dough taste of the cake and the cool, refreshing taste of the root beer mixed with the vanilla bean that made the taste resemble a hint of ice cream and birthday cake and at the same time like a strawberry shake. There were so many flavors at once and it was all perfect. 

He took a few more gulps of the drink before finally coming up from the straw to give his mouth a break from the cold winter-like chill of the Slushy. "Wow, this is delicious. How did you find out about putting these flavors together?" 

"Order 104?" 

"A friend introduced me to it." she answered.

"She means big boy." LaCienega chimed in as she walked towards them. She was putting her straw inside of the cup, making the iconic sound through the top. 

"Huh?" 

"Not Big Boy the host on Hip Hop Helicopter." she clarified. _'Hip Hop Helicopter'?_ "I'm talking about Carlos. _He's_ a big boy." 

She and Zoey laughed and Penny rolled her eyes. 

"That used to be Penny's boyfriend." LaCienega added. 

"He was _never_ my boyfriend."

"What do you mean, Proud?" she poked fun at her. "You went on that date with him." 

"It wasn't even suppose to _be_ a date, remember? It was supposed to be just us girls, but _y'all_ invited the boys. I didn't know anything about that." 

"Order 105?" 

"That's me." Zoey said to the group. She walked over to the counter. 

"Anyway," said Penny. "we went to Wiz Kel's after our study session and he let me try some of his slushy." 

"Yeah and then Proud told us that homeboy went back for a second one, claiming that the first one didn't fill him up because she took some." she made herself laugh once more. 

Penny ignored her and Steven his self didn't bother engaging either. "Well it's a pretty delicious combination." he said. 

Zoey came back with her slushy. 

"Alright, cool. Zo's got hers. Now let's bounce." she started for the restaurant.

He _really_ had to learn this lingo of theirs..

During his travel over to the vegan eatery, Steven had to politely decline a sample of a beef cube stuck with a toothpick. The boy putting his hand up and shaking it in front of the man with a gentle shake of his head and an apologetic smile. The man had given the sample to another person. 

They made it over to the quaint little restaurant. The line was short with just four people waiting to order as two people were waiting for theirs. 

Penny looked up at the menu. "That broccoli vegan pasta looks pretty good." 

"I was looking at that." said Steven. "Or maybe the Jerk spiced vegan tacos."

 _"I_ was thinking the vegan fajitas." LaCienega cut in. _"Or_ the creamy vegan pasta salad." 

"The grilled veggie burger and fries look good to me." said Zoey.

They pondered on what they were going to get. 

Five minutes later and they were up front and they ended up ordering what they'd said aloud earlier, with LaCienega getting the fajitas instead of the pasta salad. 

They spent another five minutes of walking around to find a table. 

Right as they sat down, _with Penny sitting right beside Steven_ , the three of them began taking out their food. 

Steven took out his own food slowly and began looking around the food court. 

He turned back around and the girls were already eating. 

"Aren't we going to wait for that other girl?"

There was a scoff from LaCienega. "Yeah right. As if we would wait for her. She would do the exact same thing." she took a bite out of her fajita.

So that gave them the right to act like her?

Maybe he was so used to eating with the Gems, _even if it was only Amethyst eating with him,_ , but it felt odd eating without waiting for every single person.

Maybe he was also missing doing that with the Gems.

Seemed like he was missing a lot of things now..

"It's cool, Steven. You don't have to worry about waiting for her. Besides, as fast as Dijonay eats, she'll still beat us." said Penny.

"Yeah, especially if she got that barbecue burger." said LaCienega. She, Penny and Zoey started laughing. 

Steven went or his food, but only ate slowly. He was still feeling a bit weird to not wait for her. 

Minutes later and Dijinay had called Penny. She gave her the details of where they were sitting and with a continuing wave of Penny's arm she'd eventually found the table. 

"I hope y'all are enjoying that rabbit food." she joked. 

"Shoot, I know _I_ am." said Penny. 

"We are, Dijonay." said Zoey. 

"And not to mention keeping our bodied fit and healthy." LaCienega sassed. 

"Oh I don't need to be healthy, eheh. I just need to be full." she ripped her bag open and popped open the container. BBQ ribs, a McWiz barbecue burger and Buffalo French fries with Sriracha sauce over the whole meal.

She dug into her burger and munched on the meat, to Steven's dismay, but he didn't day anything.

"So tell me why Michael is _still_ trying to outdo me in fashion." LaCienega started the conversation at the table. "Trying to tailor make suits." she shook her head. "Like _he_ could outdo _me."_

"I guess homeboy really thinks he could be the next Laur Ralphen or Tom Hills or Robert Cava or Cal Calein." said Dijonay. 

She, LaCienega and Zoey laughed. 

_Michael.. wasn't that that guy that sprayed perfume on me?_

"He'll learn the hard way one day that he can't." said LaCienga. She went for another bite out of her third fajita when Steven cut in to ask, "But why can't there be two?"

They looked at him and LaCienega slowly lowered the food from her mouth. "What?" she asked sharply.

"Why can't there be two?" he asked again. 

She rolled her eye, "Duh. Because _I'm_ the best." 

"But, that doesn't explain why he can't be a fashion designer either." 

Her eyes narrowed at him.

"That's because she doesn't want any competition." Dijonay butt in. 

"Oh pleaaaase. There _is_ no competition between Michael and I. I'm the best. I'm _perfect."_ she raised the food up to her mouth and bit into it.

This girl had been rubbing him the wrong way every now and again. And now, she was stirring something in him. 

She.. reminded him of someone..

But who..

"Here _I_ am" she raised her hand high above her head. "and here's Michael." she lowered the hand with the food in it towards the table.

That was mean..

And unacceptable..

"I think he should be able to do what he wants despite of what people think. It's a free country." he tried to keep any kind of aggravation away from his voice. 

"And it's also a _competitive_ country." she countered. "And that means there has to be one."

"Not necessarily. There could be a duo." he had to calm his self and said instead a basic, "Two heads are better than one anyway." 

"I'm not working with him." she said briskly. "He's alright. But he won't be _me"_

Maybe it was the self-congratulatory, complacent, belittling look on her face, or the way her eyes lit up as she looked down at him. Her glossy smile that gleamed under the mall lights and the sparkles of the items in her ears and around her neck twinkled like stars with every movement of her body.

The look being accompanied by the depreciating act towards her classmate because of her own personal mindset. 

She wasn't perfect.

And Michael was every bit just on her level as everyone else was.

He wasn't lower than her in the slightest.

The four of them looked at Steven who had a look of disgust and, maybe even a slight vindictive look in his eyes. 

Just a slight, very faint pink tint on his cheek that was thought of as blush. 

His mouth was tense and though he tried to relax his lips, he said, "I hope that one day you'll change your mind about that." 

He may had said that a bit too cold. 

They looked at the glare in his eyes and they started feeling the tension at the table and they began feeling uncomfortable. 

Even LaCienega was quiet. 

Just a small flicker of the present came to him and he noticed the uneasy, apprehensive looks on their faces. 

He tried to quickly soften his face. "Uh, I mean.. " he cleared his throat. "I just mean that, for everyone to do what they aspire to be without getting judged. That's all." he went for a smile that not only didn't reach his eyes but felt more so forced and nervous. 

That.. _seemed_ to had calmed them down slightly. 

_Oh boy.._

He could still feel the tension towards him at the table and he went for a shy bite of his food. 

Good going on him for making everyone at the table feel uncomfortable. 

First the perfume incident.. and now this..

The curls of his hair grew just a smidge poofier. 

What _else_ was he going to do to make things awkward. 

What was next? 

There was a familiar, buzzing feeling to his warm skin. 

The feeling of pink layering under his eyes beginning to spread down his cheeks. 

"Ah.. no.. need to get embarrassed." Zoey forced herself to say. The four of them could see the "blush" on his cheeks. "I know what you mean." 

Did she? Or was she trying to make him feel less "embarrassed"? 

"So.." she had to remember. _"Steven_. We don't know much about you." she tried lightening the tension and pulling him more into a more comfortable, casual environment. "Are, you a fashion designer too?" 

He had to resist the urge to pull his lips back in a grimace at a sudden question. That itch of annoyance still lingering in his mind. 

He took a breath that only calmed him a second before the irritation came back to the fore. "Well.." he tried to push more of his vexation behind him. He touched the back of his still poofy hair. "I..was telling Penny and her parents that I was traveling." he managed to force out. "to find myself. So, I'll be here for a bit before going to L.A and.. then after that?" he shrugged his slightly broader shoulders. "Maybe Santa Ana or San Diego? Or, maybe I'll drive out of California and head to a city somewhere in Arizona instead." 

"Oooooo, so your parents are cool with that?" Dijonay asked. 

Penny quickly looked over at her, but the teen had had her eyes on Steven as she ate. 

"My dad was okay with it and my mom, well, she's.. not here with us." he felt his hair stick out more under his hand. He slid it from his hair and to the nape of his neck. 

"Oh.. sorry to hear that." and she sounded sincere. 

"It's.. I mean it's okay." he shrugged once more and felt his shoulders grow broader as he did. 

He inhaled in, trying to go for a deep breath and _not_ trying to make his sigh obvious. 

"And.. have you, found anything interesting in your travels so far?" Zoey went for another question to steer away from the doleful atmosphere. 

"Mmm.. I mean New York was interesting, though I didn't stay for too long. It was way too busy and crowded and too much high activity for me." 

"The city that never sleeps." she nodded. 

"Oooooo, wait, wait, wait! Did you at least get to see any movie stars?!" Dijonay asked. 

"Mmm" he shook his head slowly with a pucker of his lips. "No." then he added. "I don't really know any movie stars." then he thought. "I guess apart from Sadie Killer and the Suspects, but they've broken up almost a year ago. And my dad, who used to be a rockstar." 

"A rock star?" Dijonay smirked. "Neh, I don't listen to that rock and roll stuff." 

"I do." said Zoey. "What's his name?" 

"He went by Mr. Universe." 

"Mm. Never heard of him." 

"Guess he wasn't that famous." Dijonay said casually. 

"I.. think he mainly did shows on the East coast." 

"But what about _you_ though?" Zoey asked. 

"Huh?"

"Well, you said that you were traveling but, that doesn't really tell us, you know, about _you."_

"Oh, uh.." 

_There really wasn't much_ apart _from saving the world more than once due to my mom's mistakes._

He felt a small tick of his hair stick up under his curl, just at the nape of his neck and he tried to dismiss those negative thoughts and the resentment he still felt-

"I like the beach and uh, playing guitar." the small piece of hair receded. 

"That's it?" LaCienega asked. 

"Oh he just being modest." said Dijonay. "He most likely does other things." 

_Not. necessarily.._

Not for a couple of years. 

_Or at least not a lot of_ "human-esque" _things.._

_Not like I can tell them about all of my Gem related activities.. where would I even start?_

_I can't even tell them anyway._

".. eah, he's being modest." said Penny. "This guy sings too."

"Oh word?" Dijonay raised an eyebrow over a grin. 

"Yeah, but, it's nothing professional. Mainly for fun." _or for progressing with the characters wth a bit of character development or lightening the mood._

"Mmm~.. then maybe we can hear you sometime." said Dijonay.

"Sure." he smiled. 

"Oooo, Penny! Did you tell him about our concert coming up?" Zoey asked. 

"Yeah, I did." 

"I'm not in a rush, so I said I'll come." 

"Cool. Can't wait." Dijonay winked. "And don't forget to paint your face with a letter D."

"Uh.."

"If anything it should be _L"_ said LaCienega. "If I'm not mistaken, it _is_ 「L.」P.D.Z."

"Well if I'm not mistaken, _I_ was the one they wanted from the group." Penny retorted.

"Well if _I'm_ not mistaken, _you_ were the one that gave all of that up." Dijonay countered back with a touch of blithe sass.

The four of them exchanged resisting to smile glances, before they started laughing. 

_Must be an inside joke._

"Whatever, we're back together anyway." Penny smirked. 

"Because we are best friends till the end of time." said Dijonay.

"That's why we're successful." LaCienega chimed in.

"Because we've stuck together." said Zoey.

And in unison they said, "Through it all." 

They giggled once more.

"Still, painting your face with a 'D' is the way to go." 

LaCienega scoffed. "Yeah, for something else." 

Dijonay read between the lines and smacked her teeth. "Talk to the barbecue sauced hand girl." 

Zoey lowered her box of fries down with a huff. "I'm full." she gestured the box to the two beside her and they shook their head. "I need to watch my figure." said LaCienega. 

"And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm getting pretty full. I ordered a pretty big meal." said Dijonay. 

Zoey looked over at the two across from her. 

"Sure, Zo." Penny grabbed the carton. "Want some?" she offered Steven. 

"I'll only take a few."

"Take as many as you like." she set the box down between them.

"So, you said you like the beach." said Dijonay. "You know how to surf?" 

Steven grabbed a few fries. "No, but I know how to swim."

"I only asked because we're going to have our Beach Blanket Bananza. But you have to learn how to surf, or else you'll be wiping out and losing in one of the rounds."

"Dee, that's _if_ he even stays that long. That's literally not until another few months." 

"And? He could stay that long."

Penny reached for the fries-

"Maybe.. I could come back up here in a few months?" Steven proposed. He reached for the fries and his hand laid over top of Penny's in the carton. 

They looked over at one another. Frozen.. with slightly shocked looks on their faces. 

"Well, that's something to do too in Wizville." Dijonay said obliviously. She pulled back the bun, placed a few barbecue fries on her burger and took a bite. 

Finally, Steven found movement in his limbs once more and he pulled his arm back. "I'll.. keep that in mind." he said as he placed his hand back on the table.

With a small, near kittenish smile on her face, Penny grabbed a few fries and slowly slid her hand away from the carton. 

The two of them taking another glance at each other. 

The group continued to eat and have small talk, mainly giving him suggestions on things that Steven could do in Wizville before he leaves. The boy, taking in the suggestions as his body steadily went back to its formal state.

  
  


Everyone was putting their trash into their bags and Dijonay put everything in her torn bag and crumpled up everything together. 

_"Now_ we can go to more shops." said LaCienega. 

"Yeeees, LaCienega." Penny got up from her seat as did the others. 

They walked over to the trashcan and Steven finished the rest of his slushy. He sighed out his quenched thirst. "I really have to get this again." he said and threw it away along with the other trash. 

"Kinda sucks that there's no Wiz Kel's Shaved Ice & Slushies anywhere else." said Zoey. 

The crew began their travels away from the food court and to the main hall of the mall once again.

"I say we go to "M&H." said LaCienega. 

"I hope they have that shirt I wanted." said Dijonay. "Last time they didn't have it in my size."

They began walking pass a little play area with groups of kids running and screaming about as they rolled on the colorful carpet or climbed on the small jungle gym or slide.

Though on the other side.. were a few rides they could get on. The rides one would see at the mall or in front of arcades. Simply place a few quarters in and get inside.

Steven and Pee Dee would get on those in front of the arcade.

But this was different now. 

Not only had he not played on these rides in years and with his best buddy, but one of the rides had reminded him of something in particular. 

The words engraved in green said the name of the ride, 'Star Destroyer'.

It was made into a spaceship.

Which, looked an awful lot like the Sun Incinerator.

He remember being on there with Lars and the Off Colors. And with Connie and with Garnet.

How was Lars and the Off Colors doing now?

Were they still getting chased around by Emerald throughout the galaxy?

Were they flying at light speed right now as he speak?

Penny had stopped and turned around upon noticing no extra pair of footsteps behind her. 

She saw Steven looking wistfully at the spaceship.

"Aaand here we go with his weirdness again." LaCienega said behind her. 

"Yeah homeboy fine but.. his weird stuff is making him _not_. as fine." said Dijonay.

"No wonder he's single." LaCienga said back.

Penny was already walking away from them. "I'll see what's going on." 

"Hey, guys." LaCienega grinned. "Maybe he's an alien. Just look at how he's eyeing that spaceship."

She got a roaring laugh from the two.

"Girl, I would definitely believe that, if I believed in such things." Dijonay laughed. 

Zoey continued to chuckle. "I don't know, Dijonay. They could be real. My folks and I believe they are. The galaxy is endless."

"Yeah and so is that empty space in your head girl. Ain't no such thing as aliens." 

This time Zoey wasn't laughing as LaCienega joined in on Dijonay's laughter. 

Penny was coming up to Steven who was looking even more dejected. "What's up?" she said softly and he slowly took his eyes from the spaceship and to her.

"Is.. everything okay?" she asked. "Did you want to go on there too?"

"Uh, n, no.." he shook his head and forced a small smile as he tried to widen his eyes to up the act a bit more. "I, was just looking at it. Sightseeing." he clarified with a casual one shoulder shrug. "Just, taking in all the sights." 

He didn't know if she believed him or not but she gave him an, "Okay." before adding. "Well, we're about to head over to M&H." and with a friendly smile she added an extra, "I think you'll like this one. And don't worry, this one is way more family friendly."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to going there." he kept the forced smile on his face.

"Cool. Let's go." she walked away from him.

Steven held his smile for a few more moments as she walked away from him before dropping his smile and looking back over at the space ship. 

Now a little boy was getting on it. His mother was right beside him and putting in quarters into the machine.

He sighed.

And began walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeees I had to put in that sappy "they reached for the same thing at the same time and touched hands" trope. 
> 
> Lea' me aloooone~ 😂😂
> 
> Anywho, I hope that everyone is enjoying the story thus far :3 And I can't wait to post more!  
> Wheeenever that may be 😶


	10. Three on one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told myself I was going to wait until I finished the mall chapters before posting BUT, I just couldn't wait to post xF
> 
> Soooo, here's just two chapters for y'all =D  
> Hope y'all enjoy 😃

The group was on the escalator and going up to the next floor. Steven, still fascinated, though without the doughy grin and wide-eyed look on his face, looked around and below him.

Penny heard snickering from the three in front of her and LaCienega and Dijonay gave a shake of their heads. 

"Stop it guys." Penny warned.

"Hey!! Stop it!! Stop it right there you scoundrels!!!" a guy yelled from below them. 

There was a group of teenaged boys running away from three cops. 

All four, five guys were running with naked mannequins and following one guy in front of him that Steven could see within that short amount of time, was wearing all blue and baggy clothing. 

"Stop it!! I said stop it right there!!" 

They boys laughed as they ran their way down the hall and pass groups of onlookers. 

Steven made it up the escalator and met the four at the top. Penny was snickering at the confused look on his face. He turned to her. "Were those guys.. running with naked display mannequins?" 

"Heh, yeah. Yeah that was Sticky and a few other goofball boys." her three friends started to walk off and she started her walk up. "Yeah, they do that all the time for fun." she said casually. "They stay pulling pranks like that."

He could see the Famethysts and Amethyst doing that too actually.

As they made their way down the hall, they were coming up to the restrooms. "Oh, you know what, I should use the bathroom real quick." said Dijonay. "All that soda I drunk." 

"Hurry up." LaCienega said bluntly.

"Hey, don't rush me." they saw her turn the corner and down the blue tiled hall.

Then seconds later, only to come out screaming with her hands flailing in the air. Her bags bumping into each other.

"Dijon-"

"Run!!" she cut Penny off. "It's the Gross Sisters!!" she ran passed them. 

"What?!" the three of them shrieked and they ran and Steven started running with them.

_Who are they running from?!_

_What's going on?!_

He tried his best to calm his self but the anticipation and the fear of not knowing what was happening was already starting to eat at him. 

"The Gross Sisters are coming this way!!" Dijonay warned the bystanders in the mall. "The Gross Sisters are coming!!!!" 

One lone growl of a cougar screeched down the hall. 

People everywhere started to run every which way. 

Someone, somewhere in the mall hit a button in an undisclosed spot on a wall and the alarm began to sound out loudly through the mall's speakers. Red lights began to flash across the ceiling, the lights spelling out Caution, then winking out and spelling out Gross Sisters. 

People were jumping into trashcans and placing the lids back on, people were jumping off of the escalators, shop owners were pulling down their gates and closing their stores, three people began to climb inside one Fast food mascot costume and the bull holding a welcome sign fell to the floor and the head of it came off. One person dove in and grabbed it and slid back with the others and put the head of mascot back on its body, there was a string of people on each other's shoulders. The one at the top was pulling an air vent cap out of the ceiling. He pulled himself into the vent and turned around. The second person grabbed his arms and the one that was at the bottom began climbing up to the top, then the next person. 

Everywhere, more and more people began to panic as less and less hiding spaces became evident. 

_WHAT is going on?!_

Women and kids began to scream and cry as they ran all around them. 

Steven looked back to see three girls ranging in height and width. 

The one on his left was much shorter than the two with a blue Do-rag over her short dark blue afro. Her hand was out in front of her, palm facing up as she ran with her sisters. 

The one in the middle was the tallest and much slimmer with dark blue braids going back and a more snarling mug on her face. 

The third one was much bigger than the first two with her dark blue curly hair up in a short, curly ponytail. 

All three of them were wearing dark blue overalls with a white shirt underneath. 

But there was one thing that was sending Steven's heart beating fast in his chest and sending his mind in wanting to go straight into overdrive as the three girls were coming up fast down the now empty hall of the mall. 

_Are those Gems!?_

All three girls were blue and dangerously fast-

The biggest one ran into a solid built kiosk and practically shattered it to pieces as she bulldozed right through it completely unfazed and unharmed.

 _And_ they were strong.

He could feel the pink tinting his cheeks.

Should he stop and fight them?

Maybe use his speed and quickly poof them and bubble them and act like nothing happened in hopes that nobody saw him and his identity won't be jeopardized?

One person that couldn't find a hiding spot and was too slow to run away from the sisters was caught in their line of sight. 

"Get him Olei!" the one in the middle ordered.

The hulking teen trampled over fallen chairs and they were crushed under her feet. She jumped up as a sound of a tiger's roar was heard. 

The man yelled out in terror as Olei tackled him to the ground. 

"Ha! Got one!" 

Steven saw the shorter one dog pile on her younger sister, then the middle one jumped on top.

_Those Gems are hurting people!!_

He stopped. 

"Steven! What are you doing! Let's go!" Penny yelled.

"But.." he looked back at the three tearing at the man's clothes and his shopping bags. He raised his arms out as he screamed for help. He looked back at the four running away from him. "Someone needs help!" 

"Who cares! _You're_ going to need help too if you don't hurry up!" said Dijonay.

"Those girls are going to hurt you! You _need_ to come on!" Penny shouted.

He looked back and the Gross Sisters were gone. _Where did they go?! Were they Lapis Lazulis?! Did they fly off?!_ The man was in his boxers and undershirt. His wallet, car keys and shopping bags gone as he cried on the floor. 

"Steven! Come on!" 

Reluctantly, he turned back around and ran up the hall, immediately catching back up to them.

"Wow.. he's fast." said Zoey.

"Penny." his voice was every bit frantic. "What's going on?!"

"Those are the Gross Sisters. They're bullies at our school who take people's money."

"They're humans?!" he blurred out, without even thinking.

"Now what the heck kind of question is that?" Dijonay asked. "DUH! ALL of us are!"

_Well..-_

"Dijonay, what do you expect? Those girls are ATROCIOUS." said LaCienega. 

_But.. if they're not Gems..then.._

He tried to calm his self.

They were humans.

They were _only._ humans. 

That means he can't poof them.

And most importantly, he doesn't need to use his bubble or any of his shields.

But, what was he going to do now?

What could he possibly do if they happen to bump into them-

LaCienega screamed out in horror and stopped on her heels. Zoey bumped into her as Dijonay, Penny and a second later Steven, slid to a halt.

The three ever menacing teens were standing right in front of them.

The one in the middle had this complacent look on her face.Her head tilted to the side and her eyes ever mischievous as she looked down at them. Her upper lip pulled up and showing the braces on her top teeth. 

"Heh, well, well, well." she nodded slowly. "Look what we have here. A bunch of suckas. Thought you four could get away from us?"

The four of them shook their heads fervently.

"Hm?" she looked over Steven. She snorted. "Yo, Olei, Gina. Heh, looks like we got ourselves a brand new sucka." 

Just the look of her intimidating face and what she'd said.. he felt the slight, tingling buzz on his skin and felt his body grow just slightly. 

He tried to take close mouthed, calming breaths. 

"Look at him." she saw the "blush" on his cheeks. "Yo scared already." she turned to the four. "Alright, let's cut to the chase. Show him how it's done ladies. You know the drill. Hands up, cash out."

They quickly dug into their pockets and took out their money.

Gina jumped up and snatched the money out of each of their hands, counted the money, put it in her pocket and raised her hand back up.

The middle one turned her attention back on him and the buzz of his skin rose and he felt the curls of his hair start to grow. 

He played tug of war with his mind as his Gem powers tried to force it's way out. 

He swallowed and tensed his body. 

"Wow, yo _really_ scared. Look at him shaking." she started to laugh and her two sisters laughed silently on either side of her. 

He blew a deep breath out of his nose. 

"Alright, you saw what they did." she said. "And now you. Hands up, cash out. I know you got some on you." 

He did. 

Doesn't mean he would let them have it.

This was bad. _They_ were bad.

Taking people's money and property when they could be doing other things in their lives other than stealing?

Why should they get away with this?

Why should.. _any_ bad person get away with anything.

He clenched his teeth together and tried to calm the pink trying to seep more into his skin.

"Fool! You gotta give them your money!" Dijonay yelled out.

"Onion head here is right." she took her steps towards him and he felt the small pink ovals just at the top of his cheeks spread more across his face.

She laughed at the "blushing" boy. "Look, since you're not from around here, I'm going to tell you this once. And only, eheh, once. We, are the Gross Sisters. We take people's money. And _you're_ people." she pointed in his face and his heart jolted in his chest as his skin grew warmer. "So, we're taking _your_ money."

Steven was still and rigid in his spot and still trying to calm his mind and his body.

He couldn't lose control.

_Okay.. they want your money.._

_But, they're not Gems and they're not some new, more powerful Diamonds.. and they're not dictators.. and, they're not hurting us._

_At least not now they're not.._

_Maybe.. I should try to talk to them._

"Uh.." he took a deep breath but felt the pink spread more across his face. "Maybe, we could talk about this?" 

"Man, what is that fool doing?" Dijonay whispered. "He's going to get his block hit clean off. He's going to lose that pretty face of his." 

"Talk?" her mouth pulled up in utter disgust. 

"Y, yeah.. with, what's happening here." he said. "You wanting to get my money and you taking theirs."

The four of them tensed up as they were brought into the conversation. 

"Don't you bring us into this." said LaCienega. 

His face scrunched up in puzzlement. 

"Look" a finger was jammed into his chest and it took every bit of him to not take his hands and push the teen halfway across the mall. "We don't chit chat, capisce? We are the Gross. Sisters." she emphasized before adding, "You do what we _tell_ you to do. And that's, giving us your money." 

He clenched his eyes shut as he felt the raw power latch into his body. 

He kept his eyes closed as he took in shuddering breaths.

"Heh, aye look at him about to cry." she said to her sisters.

He took in more, wavering breaths as he clenched and unclenched his jaws.

Steadily.. only steadily.. he was feeling his skin start to cool and the pink receding.

More calming breaths and trying to force his mind to see the situation as nothing more than something minute.

"Come on, hurry up boy. You're wasting our time. We could be stealing from other people." 

He heard her cackling and he cracked open his eyes. 

"We're waiting."

He opened his eyes more and took another deep breath out. "And _I'm_ wondering why you guys are doing this."

They heard several gasps to their side. 

"O ooh looks like we got a _stubborn_ sucka." she took another step to him and her smile fell to a glower. "Maybe I gotta break it down for you slowly." she got in his face. "Giiiiive uuuus yooour moooneyyy."

Another deep breath and his jaw relaxed by a small degree. "No."

More gasps were heard from the girls.

The teen looked at them and they shut their mouths.

She glared back at Steven. "What you say to me, punk?" with another step, his body went on defense and he raised his arm to summon his shield but quickly remembered where he was. 

"Ooh ho, so you trynna throw hands now huh?" 

"W, what?" he blew out air through his nose.

"You trying to fight?"

Looked down at his raised arm and quickly forced it down to his side. "No." he said. "I was just.." he looked at her sinister glare. "I was just blocking." 

She scoffed. "There's no way you can block _us."_ she beckoned her hand as she took another step towards him. The three of them began to crowd around him. "You have" she gestured at her older, but smaller sister. "Gina." then she pointed to her younger sister. "Olei." then she gestured both hands to herself. "And you have Nubia." she put her hands down and clenched them into fists. "So ain't no type of way you can get through us." 

He looked around his self at all three sisters as they got close to him. 

It was feeling too real.. too much like dealing with Homeworld Gems. 

How the three crowded around him.. just waiting to attack him because of what they wanted.. because of who he was..

He could feel the buzz of his skin coming back and the spread of the pink across his cheeks. 

He took a step back. 

They were still human. 

He couldn't hurt them. 

He wouldn't let them end up like.. like Jasper..

"Man this boy is scared." she snickered. "Look at his face all red." 

"I... I don't want any trouble." 

"Just give them your money!" Dijonay yelled. 

She and the others were now far away down the hall and peeking from behind a corner. 

"No!" he snapped. "I'm _not_ doing that! There's people like them who needs to be reprimanded!" 

"Oooooo, got some bite to him. We need to be reprimanded huh? Alright." she turned to her younger sister and clapped her hands. "Yo Olei. Do what you do best." 

The heavy weight teen stepped up to him. 

She snorted down at him and a puff of hot breath hit his face. 

She was huge. 

She was silent. 

And every bit intimidating..

Without a word, she pulled her arm back.

He shut his eyes and waited for the hit. Instincts mixed with his Gem powers kicked in and his whole body turned a bright pink.

Moments later and he didn't feel the hit. 

He opened his eyes to see the fist coming to his face in slow motion. 

He sighed a breath of relief. 

The blue, scarred up fist steadily came forward. 

He took a step to the side and watched the fist in slow motion as he tried to calm his self. 

He had to make this power stop. 

Deep breath, counting up numbers, anything. 

Anything to stop it. 

Breathing only helped but so much and counting up or down wasn't any better, but slowly, he was feeling something indescribable. Like a wave was rushing away from his body or his mind being pulled back into the world-

The fist came crashing into the wall and leaving an indent that.. should not be realistically possible for a human. 

Olei brought her hand back, unfazed and unhurt. 

.. and.. her hand should've definitely been broken, or gotten fractured, hurt, anything after such a hit.. 

"Whoa. He's _really_ fast." Zoey whispered. 

"Now how did he-?" Nubia lowered her eyes at him. "Alright then. So you got in a lucky dodge." she turned to her sister. "Olei. Do it again." 

This time, Steven tried using his powers intentionally as he thought about speed and movement and wanting to dodge ..and get away fromherfistthatwascomingrightathim!-

He was just about to close his eyes and brace for the hit, and right as the fist came towards his face, it slowed down. The knuckles of her hand just inches away from his nose. 

He looked down at his now, bright pink hands, then back up at the scene in from of him. 

The teen with a mischievous, smug look on her face as her eyes were focused solely on him, _until he stepped away._

Gina right beside him with her hand out with an equally mischievous, smug grin on her face.

Nubia right behind Olei with a baleful grin and her fists clenched by her sides.

He looked down the hall to see Penny and Zoey's worried expressions, LaCienega's dubious look and Dijonay's wide eyed, intrigued look. 

He stepped behind the three sisters and tried to get that, indescribable feeling he had earlier.

Moments later, longer than he wanted it to, he felt his body being pulled down and as that feeling off rushing water or air left out of his bones, his whole being- 

Olei's hand swung down. The force of her own throw causing her body to turn towards the force of the punch as she lost her balance and fell towards her left.

Gina opened her mouth in a silent scream over the shocked look on her face. Her hand still raised out as she went to scramble away. Her feet running rapidly under her in place for several seconds as she went to push off in a run-

Her sister fell on top of her.

The eldest was lost under the body of her sister. Her one arm sticking up from under her sister's side.

"What the-" Nubia looked left and right in front of her. "Where the heck did he go?"

"Whoaaa~ Did you see _that?"_ Zoey asked, amazed. 

"He just, practically appeared out of thin air right in front of us." said LaCienega.

"What kind of speed does this boy have?" Dijonay wondered.

"Looks like I got in a "lucky dodge" again." he riposted.

Nubia turned around. "How did you-?! Heh." she stopped and chuckled. "Alright, you got some kind of tricks huh?" she cracked her knuckles and shook her hands. "Alright, see if you can dodge _this."_ she threw a punch. 

Another thought of speed, of movement.. of getting away and protecting his self as he felt his body pulling forwards and being lifted-

He felt the bright pink coloring heat his skin.

He watched Nubia's fist come towards him slowly.

He took a step away.

Then calming his body and pushing his body back figuratively, mentally, in a way and feeling the indescribable feeling of being pulled down by something like gravity-

Nubia stumbled into a near trip. She looked over at Steven and stood back up abruptly. She scowled at him. "What, you trying to make me look like a fool or something?" she walked slowly towards him.

He shook his head, "No. You're already doing that _yourself."_

"BAAHAHAHAHAHA!!" 

Nubia shot Dijonay a glare and the teen threw her hands over her mouth and slid herself away from the corner. 

She went to glare back at Steven. "You know you ain't leaving until you give me your money."

Steven's face was serious. "Then it looks like I'll be here all day." the ice in his voice could only be from that part in his mind he needed to watch out for.

That burning anger, that distressed feeling he had to moderate and ease. 

He took a short, calming breath to try and subdo his thoughts. 

"What, getting tired?" Nubia smirked.

_Not even close._

"You ain't getting away _this_ time." she looked behind him. "Olei, Gina, get yourselves up man, whatchu still on the ground for?" the biggest one got up to reveal her sister flat to the floor, say for her arm that was still up and at an angle. "We're gonna get this fool. Teach him a lesson." Olei grabbed her sister's shoulder and peeled her off from the floor. She took a deep breath and blew into her sister's mouth, causing the rush of air to inflate her. She set her back down.

"Alright, punk. Got any last words?" she held her fists up.

Olei put hers up and Gina held her hand out with one hand into a fist.

They began to crowd him once more.

"Mind your heads." he said.

They touched their heads before looking up at the ceiling to see the lights still flashing 'Caution', then 'Gross Sisters'.

They looked back down.

"Ooooh, made you look, huh? Okay, time to end this Joker. On three." they closed in on him. "One, two." they pulled their arms back. "Three." they threw out their hard jabs.

The pink engulfed his skin as the fists came towards him in slow motion.

He stepped to the side and turned around.

With another indescribable feeling, the pink of his skin waned- 

The Gross Sisters came crashing into each other. Nubia and Olei headbutting each other and Gina's head colliding into Olei's kneecap. 

They each fell back on the floor and rubbed at their heads.

Nubia snapped open her eyes and realized what she was doing. She threw her hand back down. " 'Mind our heads'." she snarled as she got up. "What is _up_ with this boy?" she grumbled under her breath. Olei and Gina were getting up. "Like he's some kind of feak of nature or something." she told her sisters.

Instantly.

The words had hit him at full force.

Like a brick, like a knife hitting or piercing into him.

His mind feeling every abuse.

The words wrapping around his body and constricting his body as the words like hot coal burned into him.

" '.. like a freak of nature..' "

The words burrowed farther into him.

He wasn't that.. 

Of.. course he wasn't..

He wasn't that at all..

Not.. really?

「Freak of nature- A monstrosity; a malformation; an abnormal organism; a person or animal showing strange deviation from nature.」 

"I'm not.. I'm not that.." he whispered.

"What?" she twisted her face at him.

That's not what he was..

He.. wasn't a monstrosity.. 

That'd happened already and he was told it was only in his mind.. 

Only how he felt..

But.. that's what he _became.._

So was he still one? Deep inside.. was that monster still inside him?

The Gross Sisters walked cautiously up to him as they prepared to make their move.

No.. no he wasn't that.

That.. wasn't him anymore?

And.. he wasn't malformed or.. abnormal?

A quick, fluttering memory of the cats around his body trying to take over and engulf him when he was younger, came across his mind.

_No.. that.. that doesn't count. I, was just trying to practice my shape shifting powers. I've.. gotten better-_

But.. he was a "strange deviation from nature"..

He wasn't fully human.

He was a Gem.

His whole life and for the rest _of_ his life he will be a deviation from nature.

Maybe she was right..

Maybe.. he was a freak of nature.

Penny, LaCienega, Dijonay and Zoey kept themselves at the corner of the hall as they watched Steven's face became more pink across his cheeks. The boy looking a mixture of being in pain and despairing.

"What's going on?" Dijonay asked. "Why isn't he doing anything now?"

"I don't know." said Zoey.

"I think the Gross Sisters did something just now." said Penny. 

Steven stood there.

He _tried_ to tell his self that he wasn't a freak of nature.. or that at the very least being such a thing didn't need to have such a bad connotation.

He was one of a kind.. so.. why did he feel that being one of a kind wasn't all it was cracked up to be-?

He felt an arm hug his neck as Nubia put him in a headlock.

He tried to keep his self from panicking but felt his body push up and grow. He grabbed at the arm and saw the faint pink coloring on his hands. 

"Dag, didn't think he was so tall." Nubia grunted. She tilted herself backwards to compensate for the height difference. 

Olei grabbed his hands and pulled them off of Nubia's arm.

"Yo Gina. Get him where it hurts."

The small girl came marching towards him with her hand up.

He had to calm his self..

They weren't Gems.. 

They were only humans..

They can't _hurt_ him.

And, it was only her.

That's what he told his self.

It was only the smallest one.

He had to calm down. He couldn't let his powers take over. He couldn't overreact.

In any case.. she couldn't hurt him.

She clenched her hand into a fist. 

He could take the hit.

He was a Gem.

He was a _Diamond._

He had to calm down.

Her arm was coming towards him and he tried to ease his racing mind.

Besides.. how bad could it b-

Her fist, as strong and solid as a boulder shot towards him and made impact as hard as a truck going full speed.

That's what it felt like to him. 

But ten times worse.

The pain erupted from the place of the deadly hit and shot up into his stomach and to the middle of his chest and he let out a squeal of anguish mixed with a sound he didn't know a human could produce.

"Oooooooo." the girls said in unison. They watched Gina pull her arm back from between his legs. 

The boy in clear pain. 

"That's gotta hurt." said Zoey. Her friends nodded.

Steven's mind raced more, finding more reason to unleash anything back. To send him pink, to force his body into a ten, eleven foot man of pure strength and raw power-

And at the same time, the human half wanting to cower and accept the pain until it stopped.

Nubia let go and he dropped to the floor. 

He quickly threw his hands between his legs as he curled up in fetal position. Panting.. still trying to calm his self... and still feeling intense pain..

He'd never experienced this before.

All of those times.. 

His head, his arms, his back, his legs.. everything had been hurt or fractured or broken in one way or another throughout his years of fighting Gems.

But this never happened.

He felt like this was the end for him.

Surely it had to be.

Gina pat down his pant pockets. She flipped the edge of his jacket over and went in his pocket and took out his wallet.

She opened it.

Three 50 dollar bills.

"Ooooo, we made it big tonight." said Nubia. "No wonder he wasn't trying to go down easily. Homie got money." 

Gina shoved the money in her pocket and threw the wallet in his tensed, light pink face. The three of them not noticing the boy's height difference as he laid curled up or the volume of his thick hair.

"Let's go." she made it to the front of the boy. "Heh. Looks like we got your cash after all." she crouched down to him. " Now you let this be a lesson for you to _not_. mess. with the Gross. Sisters." she tilted her head. "Capisce?" 

He laid there looking at the complacent grin and the braces of her teeth. 

With a single smug scoff, she got up. "Come on. We got more suckas to take from." 

He watched as the three began walking away from him.

Moments later and he heard feet coming up to him. Scared what was coming for him next, he slid his head up swiftly to see Penny and her friends running to him.

That only calmed him slightly.

"Steven, are you okay?" Penny crouched down and moved the wallet from his face. He flinched away and was closed to summoning his bubble to block her. His mind still wanting to keep him safe from everything and everyone at that time.

A surprised look came to her face. "Wow.. you're red." then she said. "Well, kinda pink." she clarified.

He tried to not make it more noticeable, but talking about it made the power only want to flare up more.

He clenched his eyes as he tried to _not_ get any pinker. "Uh.." he took a breath. "Yeah.." was what he managed to say before focusing on easing his mind away from the distress.

"Told you you should've gave them your money when they first told you. All of this could've been avoided."

"Dijonay, now isn't the time."

Steven groaned on the floor. "I.. thought I could talk to them.." he whispered sadly.

Maybe.. it _wasn't_ that people didn't have problems that needed his fixing.

Maybe they did and he was.. just getting rusty and losing his touch..

"Believe me, that won't work." said Zoey. "I tried doing that and they ruined my flowers, took my school books AND my clothes."

"Shoot girl, we warned you about doing that too." said Dijonay. 

She frowned. "I know." 

"Look guys. Let's just get out of this area." said Penny. 

"And do what exactly?" LaCienega asked. 

"I don't know, but I think that we should at least take Steven somewhere to sit down." she gently grabbed at his arm and he pulled it back, only to slowly grab her hand. She began helping him up.

"Well with those Gross Sisters taking all our money, all we _can_ do is sit down." said Zoey.

"Speak for yourself. _I_ have my credit card." said LaCienega. 

"I do too and I'm only buying for _me_. Not anyone else." said Dijonay.

"Yeah, well. Maybe we can hold off on the stores and sit down for a bit." said Penny. Steven was up to his feet.

"We can sit over at the benches." 

They watched as Penny, still holding onto Steven's arm tenderly, walked to the other side of the floor towards the empty benches.

"Is it just me or.. does he somehow look a bit taller and.. bigger all of a sudden?" Dijonay asked the two.

They nodded.

"I thought it was just me." said Zoey.

"Maybe it's because this is the first time we were this close to him." said LaCienega.

The three of them started towards the benches.

Steven and Penny had sat down on a bench closer to some candy machines.

"I wish you didn't have to deal with that." said Penny. "Those Gross Sisters are always up to no good." 

It'd been minutes since the altercation and he could still feel his skin trembling and buzzing throughout his body. 

He opted for shaking his leg as he rested his arms on his knees. He hid his light pink hands between them.

"I'm really sorry that they took your money."

Steven kept his eyes on the polished floor under him. The sad, light pink boy staring back at him.

He sighed. "It's not that." he whispered. "It's not about the money." he took another breath. 

_It's a lot of things really.._

"I should've handled that situation better."

"How could you had handled it any better? They were three brutal girls, on one. And, they're the Gross Sisters. There was no getting through to them. They're the Gross Sisters!"

And he couldn't even get through to _them_. 

Dismantling an empire, talking the Diamonds down from their thrones and even changing White Diamonds mind and.. then that's it.

Was he ever going to truly connect with humans if he couldn't even have a decent conversation with them? 

He couldn't talk to the Gross Sisters and he just knew that she and her friends thinks that he's weird..

Maybe he wasn't ever going to truly experience what it's like to really be human.

"Don't beat yourself up about it." she said. "Those Gross Sisters have been like that for like seventeen years. They're just stuck in their ways."

But the Diamonds are _thousands_ of years old and who knows just how old White Diamond is.

He was able to handle them.

But humans?

It was like he was on a different plane-

"Hey." he heard Penny say.

He kept his eyes to the floor. 

"Steven."

Reluctantly, he looked up to see the friendliest of smiles.

"You don't have to change them. That's not our job. Believe me, there were times when I tried to do that too. Once it was with their sister Olei and I hadn't even realized it until my girls told me." her face soften to something more knowing and apologetic. "I ended up nearly trying to control her and force her to our side. But, I had to realize that I can't change her. Only she can. And, she went back to her sisters. We can't control them and it's not our problem." 

Maybe.

But it was still personal to him.

To not be able to at least get them to listen, even just a little.

Even _if_ he.. needed to stop trying to desperately help people..

Penny got up from the seat and turned around. "I know we came here to have fun. And, sure the Gross Sisters took our money, but I refuse to let them ruin our day." she had this confidence in her voice. "I am _not_ going to let them get me down. And you're not either." she held out her hand. "Come on, we still have a few more hours until the mall closes." she had an assured smile on her face. "And we're _going_ to have some fun." 

Well.. he still didn't feel like himself..

Slowly but surely, sure.

But..

He looked at the poised, cool, amiable girl in front of him.

Well..

Maybe he could give this another try.

_Maybe_

Besides, like she said. They were here to have fun. If he couldn't change them, that was okay. He has to continue learning that he couldn't change everyone and that he can't always be the one to solve everything. 

He took her hand and he pushed his self off the bench, shorter than when he'd sat down earlier, unbeknownst to them. 

"Okay, but, what exactly are you and Zoey going to do without any money?" LaCienega asked.

"Window shop." Penny said, straight faced. "I already have most of what I wanted anyway."

It was then that Steven realized that he didn't see any of their bags. 

And, where were _his_ bags? 

He must've dropped them during his time with the Gross Sisters. 

"Where's everyone's bags?" he asked. 

"We hid them in our pockets while we were running." said Dijonay. "Otherwise, they would've swiped them too."

He looked at them. 

There was literally no sign that they had any bags on them. Nothing was sticking out. No bump, no lump, nothing. 

"And I managed to get your bags before we ran off." said Penny. She dug into her skirt pocket and pulled out his five huge bags. 

_Wait, how was that even.. physically possible?_

He must've been making a face at them because then Penny had raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"The bags." he pointed. "How did you put all of that in that one pocket?"

Her face scrunched up more. "Huh? What do you mean? We just, put them in our pockets."

"I know. But how? How did all of that stuff fit into that small pocket?"

They looked at him questioningly.

"It's a pocket. Pockets do that." said Dijonay. "I don't know why you trippin'."

He looked down at his shoes.

They were tied.

He heard snorting laughter and looked back up.

"That's _your_ guest, Penny." said Dijonay.

"Just ignore them." said Penny. "Now come on." she put the bags back in her pocket. The huge bags.. just slipping into that tiny pocket and practically vanishing out of existence.

_What.. kind of logic is that-_

He saw them walking away and he took off in a slow jog to catch up to them.


	11. The pet store

The group had went to two other clothing stores where Zoey and Penny had window shopped and Steven doing the same since he didn't feel right buying anything else without those two being able to.

He'd actually also learned what 'window shopping' meant as well.

Dijonay and LaCienega continued to shop however and if it wasn't for a pet store that had caught Steven's attention with Penny beckoning him to go, the group would've went to yet another clothing store.

"Can't believe we're in this dirty, smelly store." said LaCienega.

"Girl I agree." said Dijonay. 

"Not to mention all of these caged animals and how the shopkeepers are treating them. Just look at those poor dogs and cats and the birds and the hamsters and, oh, every animal and reptile and amphibian in here! And they're sold for so much profit and they most likely also work for puppy mills!" Zoey shook her head. "If anything, more people should adopt from shelters. Not these kind of places."

"Pet stores, shelters. Same diff, Zoey." said LaCienega.

There was a gasp from the teen. "Of course not! Pet stores are SO much worse!"

"I don't see it as much of a difference." 

"Yeah, me neither." Dijonay agreed. 

"Uhg! I can't beli-. I can guarantee that if _Steven_ knew about this, he would agree with me." 

"Yeah, 'cause y'all are both wackos." she held her hand up and LaCienega high fived her as they laughed. 

With a huff, Zoey turned away. "I'm going to give these shopkeepers a piece of my mind. Tell them a thing or two about how they're running things." she marched off.

"Good luck with that, Zo." Dijonay waved. 

Penny leaned up from a small little encloser. A miniature pool sitting on top of a small desk. The pool was filled with water no more than four inches tall and inside were several turtles and sand, leaves and other items that they found fit for a turtles habitat. "Okay, I'll see everyone later." said Penny. "Huh?" her eyes went back to a turtle she'd been talking to. "Yeees, my advice will work, you gotta trust me on this." she said airily. "Polish your shell and she'll be all yours. I know it." she gave him a wink and a thumbs up. "Okay, everyone. Take it easy in there." she walked away from them and passed more turtles and amphibians and towards the bird cages. Colorful birds of varying types were in each of the white, metal squared cages as they shrieked and flew from one side of the cage to the other. "Ooooo, hey, I heard that." Penny pivoted around to one of the cages sitting between two other square ones. "That's not nice."

LaCienega sighed. "I can't take standing here any longer" she told Dijonay. "Let's just, go check out the fishes or whatever." she started away from the entrance. 

"Yeah." Dijonay looked at a small enclosure filled with small, fluffy bunnies. "Those rabbits stank anyway." she followed LaCienega farther into the store. 

"Yeah, I.. Yeah, I understand that." they overheard Penny. "But you have to be the bigger bird."

"Oh boy. Proud is talking to the animals again."

"Well she _has_ gotten better at it." said Dijonay. They moved steadily pass her. "I have to give her that." 

They were passing by a small play area where one could play with the dogs or the cats. 

Steven was inside and somehow had worked his charm to have all of the ten cats inside with him at one time, despite of the two cat limit. 

He had two cats on his lap and one he was petting in his arm. "Aww, you're so fluffy." he cooed. 

"What a total kid." LaCienega moued. "On the dirty floor with those filthy cats." 

"I find that kinda cute." said Dijonay. "And there's something about a man that's good with animals." she murmured. 

"And ANOTHER thing. YOU guys have a lot of nerve with these unethical payment plans of yours! DON'T think I don't know what you're doing! Leasing your puppies?! What a sick ploy! It doesn't benefit the owners OR the puppies!" 

"You tell 'em, Zoey!" Dijonay instigated. 

"Oh you best believe I am!" she shouted and took to yelling at the frightened, innocent teens on more of the pet store's policies and shady doings. 

The two of them continued their walk towards the numerous fish tanks at the back of the store and the wall adjacent to it.

Steven was still having a good time petting and playing with the cats. He had one hand hold a piece of string. He dragged it up and down and the brown spotted cat bounced and lunged after it.

The other two were still resting on his lap and the one he had in his arm was now sitting on his stomach.

"Looks like you're having fun." he heard a friendly voice just a few feet away from him. He lifted his torso up slightly, still keeping his body on the floor as not to bother the cat he was petting on his stomach.

"Yeah." he smiled. "I can stay here forever."

"Well I hope you have a forever supply of food and water." she laughed at her own joke. 

"Hey, maybe I do." he joked with her. "You don't know that." he grinned. 

He saw her laugh along with him, then her attention went to the cats. She was giving them a particular stare but still with a friendly smile on her face. Her attention then being divided as she went to look at another cat, then another as the cats each took turns climbing over him and mewing at him. 

Then, with an added augh, she finally looked up at him. 

"What?" he asked. 

"They like you." she said. "Especially that one."she pointed at the black and white cat sitting on his stomach. 

The cats started to look at her and she looked back down at them. "Huh? Uh, yeah, kinda." a couple seconds later there was a, "It's a long story." 

Steven slowed the string down as he looked at what was going on. The cat jumped on the string and began biting and kicking it's feet at it. 

"I don't know, I heard some people can do it. I just found out that I could do it a few years ago when this circus tiger tamer brought his tiger at my mother's job."

_Is she.. talking to them?_

_Or.. is this some kind of make believe with her imagination kind of thing?_

_Also.. did she also say.. 'tiger'._

She opened the small door of the gate and stepped in. Mews echoed in the area as a few cats came up to her. "Glad to see that we have some nice cats with us." she sat down next to Steven. 

He propped his self on one elbow as he kept his self on the floor. "Yeah, they've all been keeping me company." he continued to scratch at the tuxedoed cat's head. 

"She prefers if you scratch under her chin." 

Steven dragged his fingers down to the cat's tiny, furry chin and began scratching it gently. The cat lifted her neck up as she scrunched her nose up. Her whiskers twitched on either side of her cheeks as she began to pur. 

"So you're like what, a cat expert?" he grinned.

"Heh no." she smirked. "That's not it."

She picked up a little orange Tabby cat as two more cats walked up to her. "Aww, I love your fur." she complemented the Tabby. 

Steven saw the two cats stepping onto her lap. "Yes, I love your fur too." she turned to the second one. "Yes, of course you have nice fur as well." she looked to another cat just a foot away. "Uh, yeah. And yours too." her voice was less soft. "Yes, all of you." she looked around herself. "All of you have nice fur." she stated simply. 

Steven held in a laugh and it came out as a snort. 

_Some imagination she has._

She's as bad as me when I played with my G.U.Y.S. when I was younger. 

"I wish I could take them all with me." he said instead. 

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind one or two." she pat the cat between his ears. "But my brother and sister would drive them crazy. I know they're driving Puff crazy." 

"Puff?"

"My Suga Mama's dog- Oh, riiight. I think you saw them in passing at the house the night before last. Actually, we never really gotten the chance to introduce you three." Penny dragged her hand from the cat's head and down his back. "She's over the house a lot, so you'll probably get to see her eventually." 

She looked at the cats. "No, sorry. We can't take you home." she looked to another cat. "Um, sure? I don't see why not? Maybe I could talk to the people who work here." seconds later she said to another feline, "Maybe I can tell them to switch your food. I-" she turned to another cat. "I mean, maybe, but I can't promise they'll switch cages since-" she went to a cat right beside her. She nodded unsurely. "Maybe they could give you a comfier bed." her head went to face another cat. "I'm sorry you can't get any rest. I'll see if I can talk to the dogs about that. Yes.. yes I can talk to the birds too." she looked down at the cat in her hand and her eyes went wide before narrowing sternly at the cat. "No you can't eat them. I..No, not those Gerbils either. No, they're not mice and even if they _were_ mice, they're not for eating." she kept looking at cat to cat and trying to answer their questions. "Yes, I like your new collar and." , "I'll talk to the folks there about your food." , "Maybe because she needs some time to think about it?" , "Uh.. no.. I did _not_ know that the cat in cage 4 got knocked up by the cat in cage 8." there was a hiss from the cat. "Hey, whoa.. I was just repeating what she said." 

"Uh.. Penny?" 

It was cute at first, but now he was genuinely worried if she was okay or not.

"Please guys." she held her head. "One at a time." 

"Penny?" he said again.

"Huh?"

"Uh.. are you okay?" 

She lowered her hand from her head and tried to play it off with a shrug. "Yeah, I'm cool." she said breezily. "This is nothing really. Now it's those dogs that goes to so many different topics that I have to worry about." 

_Seriously. What was going on?_

_Humans can't really.._

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Penny, can you talk to an-"

"Penny!!" 

They looked at the direction of the frantic yell to see Zoey running towards them with a beagle puppy in her hand. She nearly crashed into the gate and she grabbed the edge with her boney fingers. "Penny, I need you to come here quick! I need to know if the dogs are okay! I need that question answered! I must. know!" 

"Whoa, take it easy, Zo. I'm coming." she turned to the cats. "Sorry guys. I gotta go." she set the cat down and moved slightly. The two cats leaned off of her lap. "No, it's not just about the dogs." she assured. "I'm not leaving you for them. But I have to make sure that they're okay too." 

Steven looked at the cute little beagle wagging his tail in Zoey's arm. One cast was wrapped around the dog's front leg. 

_Awwwwwee!!_

Zoey nearly threw the dog up in front of Penny's face. "Is he okay?!" the dog licked her nose. 

She wiped at her nose and looked at the happy looking puppy, then back at her. "Uh, yeah." 

"Penny!" she pushed the dog into her face. "You didn't even ASK him!" 

"Zee, he can understand you." 

"You still didn't ask him!" 

She looked back at the dog and said plainly, "She wants to know if you're okay." 

Just seconds later and she looked back at her friend. "Like I said, Zoey. He's okay. He doesn't like the cast on his leg, but he's fine." 

She took in a deep breath and blew it out. "Okay, I had to make sure. They were about to put him back in his cage when I went and nabbed him." she turned to her side. "Now I need to see if the other dogs are okay too." 

"Sure Zo." 

Steven had put the last cat on the floor and was walking up to them. 

Cats yowled at him.

"Ooooooo, they're pretty mad." Penny grinned.

"What. I like dogs too."

A cat hissed by his feet. 

"Hey it's you, not me." Penny smirked.

He reached over and Zoey handed him the puppy. "Please be gentle with him." 

"Of course."

"Come on Penny." 

Penny opened the gate and closed it back. She and Zoey went their way towards the dog cages. 

"Aw hey there little fella." the dog licked his face and he chuckled. He pat the dog between his ears. 

His eyes then panned down at the cast on the dog's arm. 

_Hmm.._

He looked up and about the store; the store clerks looked busy, LaCienega and Dijonay were busy looking at the fishes, Penny and Zoey had their backs turned to them and the bystanders in the store weren't paying attention to him either. 

He quickly kissed the dog's leg, just above his cast. "Mwah." 

"Now, let's see." he began peeling and tearing at the thick cast. He put the evidence of the cast in his pocket and looked at the canine's leg. "Aand good as new." he cheered quietly. He snuggled his face on the little beagle. "Goood boy." he cooed and the puppy bit his nose. "Oww!" he squeaked. He pulled his head back and rubbed at his nose. 

"There he is!" 

One of the store associates was coming up to him.

"Hey." he said to her. "Need him back?" 

"Yeah. I-" she looked at the puppy's arm. "Wait, didn't he have a cast?" 

Steven shrugged as he feigned obliviousness. "No? I don't think so." he moved the puppy's arm. "His arm looks good to me." 

The woman nodded slowly, though there was still a dubious look to her features. "Y, yyeah.." was all she said. She grabbed the dog from him and began walking away.

Steven licked his finger and placed it over his nose, healing the small bite marks on it.

"This is absurd!" 

He turned around.

"Zoey, calm down."

"I can't believe these dogs are getting treated like this! You people disgust me to the core!"

"Please, escort her out. Someone needs to escort that girl out." said one of the associates. 

"Zoey, calm down-" 

"No! I shall NOT be calm! Pet stores should be illegal! The things they're doing behind the scenes is unethical! It's inhumane! It's wrong! It's.. disguuusting!" 

A security guard grabbed her by the arm and began pulling her out the store. Her heels dragged along the floor as she raised her other hand and shook it angrily at them. "You people should be ashamed of yourselves!!" 

"Looks like we're leaving already." he looked down at the cats. "I bid everyone here adieu." and with a smile, he opened the gate, made sure to close it back properly and he walked to the front of the store. 

LaCienega and Dijonay were walking up behind him. 

The security guard was standing in front of the store with his legs out and arms akimbo. 

Zoey was lounging left and right of the man and each time he blocked her. 

Steven, LaCienega and Dijonay were coming up. 

He let them walk pass and went to blocking Zoey once again. 

"You're just as bad as them!" she pointed to the stoic male. "You're defending them!" 

"Enjoy the rest of your day, ma'am." 

"Zoey, come on. We're out the store. Let's just go." said Penny. 

"Hold on, Penny!" she turned to the store. "Everyone must know the truth! That when a pet store sells a puppy! Every. single. time they sell one! That ANOTHER innocent Fido takes his place! And the horrid cycle of the puppy mills and the cruelty continues!"

"Come on, Zo. Before you get us put out of the mall." 

"How do you sleep at night!" she yelled. Penny grabbed her arm and began pulling her away. "How is your conscience!" 

Steven looked back at the security guard, then at a red faced, angry Zoey. "They.. actually do that?"

"Of course they do, Steven! Theey. are hooorrible. peeeeooplee!!" 

His face dropped.

She let go of Zoey's wrist. "Steven, we don't really know that." she tried to steer him away from any negative thoughts. "The dogs were okay but Zoey was reading too much into it."

"Me? Penny, how could you say that! Those dogs, all of those animals need my help!"

"Steven, there's nothing to worry about." she gave a stern look to Zoey. "Zoey, maybe we should talk about this later."

Zoey pouted. "Now, later. Those sweet, innocent animals will still be there."

Penny glanced over at the worried look on Steven's face. "Aand, they will be treated _well."_

"That's what you think, Penny." she mumbled. "But _I_ know the truth."

Penny sighed. "Come on, Zo." 

"That's okay, Penny. I know one of these days justice will be served." she said with such confidence in her voice. "I'll make sure of it." 

She let Zoey walk pass her and she slowed down to walk beside Steven. "Don't worry. I'm sure that all of those animals in there are okay." she tried reassuring him. "And." she scoffed. "I'm sure Zoey will find a way to liberate them too."

"Oh, you know I am!" she shook her fist in triumph. "Pet stores shall be NO more!" 

Well, he _wanted_ to think that all of those animals in there weren't being ill-treated.

He wouldn't be able to sleep if he didn't.

And, he _is_ all for liberation too of course-

"Let's check that store out!" LaCienega cut him off from this thoughts and changing the subject between the three. "Yeah, we definitely have to go in there." she demanded with a flip of her hair. "I'm running out of new and expensive joyas and I _must_ get some more." she began her strut towards the golden colored doors with large display windows on either side. Inside he could see bright golden and silver colored lights and the unknown items sparkling underneath them. 

Steven looked up at the sign.

_**Da Wiz's Fly Jewelry** _

_Hm._

_Wonder what that store sells._

"Uh oh, looks like we'll be here all day." Dijonay smirked. 

"I was kinda wondering when she would finally come here." said Penny. "You know she has to make her stop here every time she comes to the mall. It's a given."

"Yeah. And it's a given that she'll spend hours here. I'm trynna go shop at more stores not look for any fancy rocks." then a thought came to her mind and her eyes lowered dreamily with a flirtatious grin on her lips. "Unless of course it's Sticky giving me one of those expensive rocks." 

Zoey chuckled at the thought. "Yeah right, Dijonay. Good luck with that one. Sticky is _still_ trying to avoid you."

_..A store that just.. sells rocks?_

"Girl, he just playing hard to get." she puckered her lips at the tall, slim teen. "He my man and he know it. He just puttin' on a front." 

"Yeah, and him pushing you off of him and telling you to get away means that he _reaaally_ loves you."

"Zoey, why you always gotta say something?" her lips puckered up more. "You just hatin on me and Sticky's relationship."

"Suuure, Dijonay. I sure am." she grinned.

Steven looked at the store front as they steadily approached it. LaCienega long gone and inside of the brightly lit shop. He looked over to Penny. "So, this store." he began. "They just sell rocks? Like.. boulders and stones?"

That caught Dijonay and Zoey's attention as well.

Penny and the two of them had this.. perplexed and incredulous look on their faces. 

"Please tell me you're joking." said Dijonay.

There was a bit of embarrassed hesitation on his part. "..Nnn..No?" 

"Boy, have _you_ been living under a rock?"

"Dijonay."

"What? Homeboy here don't even know what jewelry is? Really?"

"That was also a good rock joke." said Zoey.

"Guys, stop." she went to quickly nip them in the bud. She turned to Steven. "Jewelry. You know, like necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings." 

_...?........?..._

_...?..._

He was trying his best to figure out what she meant, but all he could make out was that there was.. possibly some kind of lace that was made for necks and rings for the ears...?

But he _did_ know that "rings" were for marriage at least.

"Uh.. laces for necks and.. rings for ears?" his voice was an octave higher. "And, marriage rings?"

Dijonay laughed and Zoey shook her head, embarrassed for him.

"Laces for necks." Zoey cackled. "And there are other types of rings too. Not just ones for marriage."

_.. Really?_

"Instead of living under a rock, better yet, he was probably _raised_ by them." Dijonay said under a pitied huff. 

Zoey snorted. "Living rocks?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

"Guys, seriously."

They stopped.

Only to snicker under their breath.

Penny turned back to Steven. "They're just these fancy ornaments that we put on to make us look pretty or fly."

_Or.. fly?_

He looked back up at the word 'fly' on the shop's storefront.

_What does that mean?_

"Look, I think it'll be easier if you just see what we mean." she said breezily. She pointed a thumb to the opened door. "And who knows, maybe you'll find a ring for your future wife." she joked. 

"Heh..-"

"And if you didn't know," Dijonay cut in. "that goes on your finger." she mocked as she wiggled her ring finger at him. 

"Dijonay."

The girl's expression changed to a huge, dopey grin on her face.

"Yeah. I, knew at least that." he mumbled shyly.

They were just in front of the door and he could feel a cool air coming through from the place's air conditioner.

She gestured with her head. "Let's go check out this jewelry." said Penny. 

"Yeaah, before LaCienega tries to buy the whole store again." said Dijonay. She and Zoey entered the store.

"She ain't lyin'. Let's go. I want to check out the Wiz's new Rolexes." 

"Sure." he smiled, despite of him not knowing what a 'Rolex' was.

He let Penny walk in first and stepped in after. The cool air hit his shocked and uncomfortable face as he looked around the store.

Everything under the bright lights of the cieling twinkled and shown and glinted around him. 

Everything..

.. too close to him.. and.. waiting for him.. watching his every move amongst the black background of the store-

"You okay?" he heard Penny's voice pull him back just in time. 

He noticed he'd stopped in the middle of the room. "Huh? Oh, uh.. it's nothing. Just uh-" he shook his head. "Uh, nothing.." he mumbled. He looked closer and saw the items resting on the tables behind the display cases.

 _Those are just.. 'jewelry' shining in the lights. That's it.. I shouldn't let my mind get the best of me._

"You sure?"

He was about to answer with a very weak and unsure, 'Yeah' when Dijonay cut in with a, "Ooooooo girl, Penny. You need to check out these Rolex's! They. are. tight!" 

Her attention was back on Steven who'd forced a smile to come to his face. With a small nod and a slight warmth to his skin, he said, "I'm fine. To uh, answer your question." 

There was an eyebrow raised and a slight twist of her lips, but she said instead, "Okay, cool." and with a shrug of her shoulders she added, "Thought something was going on."

He shook his head once again."N, no-" 

"Penny!!"

"Yeah, Dijonay! I'm coming!" she glanced over at Steven. "Let me go over here and check out these Rolexes with her." then a cordial smile came to her face. "You're free to come with me or check out the jewelry yourself." 

"Uh, no. I'll uh." he looked at the sparkling items and quickly snapped his eyes back to her. "I'll just..go with you." the forced smile was ever nervous and unsure.

She hadn't noticed and her smile was even more endearing and friendly towards him. "Cool." she said. 

She started towards Dijonay and he followed closely to her.

All while trying to ignore that familiar buzz on his skin as he walked across the clean, dark colored floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuuuned for the next chapter(s)! =D


	12. The Jewelry Store..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SUPAH dupa long chapta.
> 
> Also, sorry I had to do my boi like this guys :/
> 
> But I did have fun writing this chapter.

Dijonay was over by the fancy watches and Rolexes. The teen had her elbows leaning against the silver edge of the display case as she stood glossy eyed at the expensive, twinkling jewels neatly manufactured on the pieces.

"Yeah, Dee." 

She looked over her shoulder. "Check it out, girl. The Fall collection." she turned back around as Penny stepped beside her and peered inside. 

Steven, at just a second later, stepped towards the case to have a looksee.

Various watches of all brands, sizes and in various shades of silver and white laid professionally and neatly in four horizontal rows. Some twinkled, while others shone under the circular lights within the case.

"Check out the one at the top." said Dijonay. "Giiiiirl, now I know that cost at _least_ one point three mil." 

"Now even _that's_ out of Miss eheh, LaCiEneGa's budget." Penny mocked.

"Right?" Dijonay looked back to the case under her. "Though if she was still with that thumb sucking son of his, she would be wearing this _right_ now." 

Penny glanced over at Steven who'd been quiet since they'd been looking at the watches. "Pretty cool, huh?" she tried pulling him into the conversation. 

The boy had his eyes on the twinkling surfaces and crevices and the bedazzles. 

Everything seemed to twinkle and shine at every spot and angle inside of the case.

Everything. Twinkling and shining..

Just like the inside of _her_ cape-

"Steven?"

"Uh?" he peeled his eyes away from the memory of her cloak. 

"I was asking if you liked these watches."

"Uh.." he could see the sparkles shimmer out the corner of his eye. "Well.. they're, certainly bright and uh.. really.. shiny."

"Well, yeah. They're jewelry." she grinned, though their was a slight concerned look to her dark brown eyes.

"Not to mention _Wizard Kelly_ expensive." said Dijonay. "I wonder if they'll let us try it on."

"The watches cost over a million dollars. There's no way they'll let us try it on if we're not LaCienega or Wizard Jr."

Dijonay looked away from the dazzling, sparkling Rolexes with a slight incredulous pucker of her plumped lips. "But, isn't your dad in association with the Wiz? They're practically home boys, right?" she gave a roll of her neck. "Tell them you're associated with those _naaasty_ snacks of his. They should pull some strings for us."

Penny fixed a gaze at her with a bored, straight-faced look. "Dijonay, it doesn't work like that." 

She sucked her teeth with an eye roll and raised a hand and fanned it towards her. "Girl, you no help." she turned away from her and frowned dramatically down at the glass. She mocked a rather feminine, damsel, southern voice. "I guess I'll never know what it's like to wear one of those watches." 

Penny gave a roll of her own bored, apathetic eyes before turning back to Steven. "Let's check some other jewelry out." she suggested. 

"Uh.. sure." the smile on his face he could tell was more pained and uncomfortable than jovial. Maybe even disturbed.

Though, Penny hadn't caught on. The teen's back facing him as she walked towards a glass wall filled with sparkling, colorful jewelry.

He pushed his legs to follow her.

The shimmering jewlrey pieces would've bothered him like the others he'd seen, but he forced his self to look at the colors more so than the glimmer of them.

The violets, the blues, the yellows, the greens, the browns, the reds, the orange and purples. 

Looking at them in just their color and forcing his self to look pass the twinkles and glints and at the actual pieces made it just a bit more easy for him to digest the look of the jewelry.

"They look.. nice." his voice was tense and a bit above a whisper.

She turned her head to look back at him and her pigtails grazed across her back. There was something to this look she gave him. Maybe it was how he said it, but her eyes were giving off this more or less worried or look of wonder, but the smile she kept on her face was still ever inviting. "Yeah, they ain't bad." and her voice was just as complacent as before and a bit playful. "I'm kinda diggin' that necklace." she pointed to a light green necklace near the top shelf. The second from the left and sitting on a black velvet shoulder-like stand was a gold chained necklace. At the front of the expensive jewelry were numerous light green, rectangular gemstones along the chain.

Steven subconsciously scratched at his chest as his eyes analyzed the gold laced ridges around each elongated green piece. He let out a slight hum of acknowledgement as he lightly nodded his head. "Yeah." he said lightly. "I like the gold color on the rocks."

He heard a snort from her. "Yeah, they're pretty cool rocks." she mocked playfully. 

Steven scanned the rows of jewelry and came across a purple beaded item that'd been placed on a black velvet wrist-like stand. The mannequin hand facing with a its palm up had three purple rings on it. 

He took a few steps towards the case and went from seeing his own dimly lit reflection in the mirror to the jeweled bracelet. He crouched down and placed his arms on his knees. "I'm uh.. I'm diggin' this one." he pointed and hoped that he'd used the slang correctly.

Penny came over and crouched down slighty with her hands on her knees. "Yeah, it's cool. I heard that purple is in." 

He hadn't quit understood what that meant. His eyes went from the purple jewel to the surface of the casing to see her dimly lit face smirking at him. "Really?"

"Yeah. Wizard Kelly's idea. Something about purple being royalty." 

"Royalty?" he blinked in front of his reflection before turning his neck up to look at her. "Really?"

Only one shoulder went up in a shrug. "Maybe." she said. "Last time he said red was royalty. Then a week before that he said that blue was." she leaned back up. "We kinda just go with that he says. He knows what's up." 

He was nodding, though he still wasn't quite understanding. 

Not to mention he wasn't one hundred percent sure who Wizard Kelly was. He seemed to have a pretty hard hold on the city and he seemed to own every little thing. Was he their Mayor? 

Penny was already a few feet away and looking at more jewelry. 

He got up and went over to look at them with her.

Unbeknownst to him, a middle-aged man dressed in the store's finest, tailor made suite was coming over with a woman who was completely decorated in white pearled jewelry.

His eyes were near closed and his mouth turned completely down in a rather posh, sophisticated mug. His nose high in the air with his chest poked out. He lowered a well greased, manicured hand down at the purple bracelet. "And here, Madam, we have our finest Amethysts. Every piece of facet polished and cut to perfection." 

"Mm?" the busty woman gave a throaty hum of contempt over the red corset of her attire. She plucked open her red clutch and took out a pair of golden framed lorgnette opera glasses. She closed the clutch with a single snap and extended the handle of the spectacles. She bent down slightly and raised the lenses to her dazzling green, unenthusiastic eyes. "Yes.." distain was ever present in her elegant voice. "This is, quite a piece of jewelry for such commoners, yes." she leaned back up. "I wish to see other pieces of jewelry that you have. One that is, more fitting for such as hold a rank as me." 

"Of course, Madam. Please allow me to show you some of our top of the selection necklaces only fitting for a queen such as yourself." ever so dutifully, the well groomed man laid a hand out to her, palm out and fingers held together. 

She placed a gloved hand daintily over his own and he pivoted around with grace and rhythm and began his elegant walk to another part of the store.

The two of them with noses held high and eyes near closed, walked pass the two teens gawking at a few items along the middle shelf of another display case. 

"Hey, what about this one?" Steven pointed. It was a orange-red rectangular beaded bracelet. "I like this necklace. The color is pretty neat." 

"Uh, that's.." she raised an eyebrow at him. "a bracelet."

He looked at her with a slight surprised look to his oblivious face. ".. Oh.."

_That makes sense since it's way too small to fit on someone's neck.._

She held a chuckle in and opted out for looking at more of the gemstones. "Man, this place is tight." she said. "They have all these different types of earrings too." 

Steven went from looking at a leaf-green and starry-blue mottled necklace to the earrings she was looking at. 

The various pairs each held colorful rocks that dangled along the silver chains of the earrings.

His outlook on the jewelry had dissipated into slight curiosity and awe rather than a restless feeling or even a bit apprehensiveness towards the jewels. Leaving the silver and white Rolexes that twinkled like stars and rhombuses in the black backdrop of the display case and looking pass the glimmer of the colorful jewelry in front of him had done wonders.

His mind was also steadily becoming more aware of the jewelry being only that. Jewelry. The colorful, shine of the rocks had that glinting effect that only resembled the cloak, the interior of her cape. 

But the jewelry couldn't do any harm. These were only colorful rocks handmade by people. Nothing else.

Steven nearly pressed his face against the glass. "So, jewelry." he began. "So you only wear them for fancy occasions only?" 

"Nah, not really." Penny stepped up to him. "Well, these are." she clarified. "But you can pretty much wear jewelry anytime." 

"Mm.." he leaned up. "I, didn't know that." he hadn't mean to sound too desolate, but that's how the words came out.

Penny looked at the slight look of resentment. A mixed look of ponder in his eyes as he stared into the display. 

"Hey, it's cool." her lackadaisical voice was the epitome of blasé. "So you didn't know." she said. "You know now." 

".. Yeah.." though something as trivial as jewelry, he should've at least known. 

There was just so much he missed out on it seemed-

"Hey, Steven." her voice cut in like a light-hearted nudge to the side. 

He turned to his side to face her.

"Why don't we try out some of these rings and bracelets?"

"But, I thought they were way too expensive for us to put on?"

"Neh, that's just something I said to Dijonay so she would get off my case." 

There was the surprised look on his face again. "Oh.." 

"Heh, come on. Let's get someone to open this up for us."

With a grin and a fan of her hand, he followed her towards a silver colored desk on the far side of the back of the room. 

A few potential customers were scattered throughout the store as they studied the various pieces of jewelry in their hands or behind the see through cases.

Steven tried taking that time to look at more of the store.

"..If we could check out some jewelry y'all got." he overheard Penny say to the woman behind the desk. 

The glimmer and glints of every area of the room were just a bit easier to digest now.

He just had to keep reminding himself where he was and continue telling himself how everything was well, everything was fine, everything was in order and _not_ out to get him.

When seen from a different angle, the twinkles and shine of the lights could, in a way, look like stage lights if he really looked and imagined hard enough. 

"..ell, you know, my dad _is_ in association with the Wiz." Penny tried reeling her in. "Ever heard of Proud Snacks? I know you have." her voice was complacent. "You know the slogan, 'One swalla will make ya taste buds holla'." 

Steven caught sight of a couple of her friends. Zoey had her back turned to him as she looked amongst the, what he now knew, were bracelets and LaCienega was talking to one of the store's associates. Her arms were crossed and her mouth was held down in an unpleased frown. 

The man was holding three different necklaces in one hand and two rings and a bracelet in the other.

She gave a deprecating shake of her head and fanned the back of her hand to him. 

The man let out an audible sigh and he turned back around and took out a small silver key. He began unlocking the keyhole of the display case.

".. eah, let me just get him.. Hey, Steven!"

He looked over his shoulder.

"She agreed to let us check out a few." she gestured at the woman in a sleek all black attire. Her black shiny hair in a short-cut with her side bangs side sweeping her black trimmed, triangular glasses. "Why don't you pick which display case you want to check out?" Penny suggested to him. 

"Uh yeah, sure." he felt himself starting to smile.

This would be a great time to try out some jewelry with others his age. Him actually being able to have a closer look at these elegant looking items as he tried them on.

He walked back over to the first display area where she and him went to. He crouched down and pointed at the purple beaded bracelet once more. "I would like to try out this one, please."

"Hm. That's a nice touch." the cold-faced, chiseled faced woman said robotically through her red lips. She put a silver colored key into its holder and the lock clicked open. She slid the glass casing to the side and delicately grabbed the bracelet. "Here you go, Sir." the bracket was laying gingerly in her palm. 

"Thanks." he grabbed the bracelet and held it up with the index and thumb of both hands.

"Here," said Penny. "Let me put it on for you."

He handed the bracelet to her.

"Hold your arm down." 

He lowered his arm down towards her and she pushed back his sleeve and rounded the bracelet around his wrist and began fastenening the clasp of it. "There." she let go and the bracelet hung stylishly on his arm. He raised his arm up and the bracelet slid down slightly.

"Hey, that looks pretty nice on you." she complimented.

He looked from the purple, elegant-looking, colorful beads and back to her. "Yeah?" 

"Yeah, purple's your color."

He looked to the woman and she gave him a thumbs up with her black fingernails. Her mouth in a thin line over her straight-faced features. "Yes." she said in a monotone voice. "I agree."

That made him smile wider.

"Come on, Steven. Let's beddazle you up." Penny grabbed another bracelet and a ring. "We're gonna make you look fly."

"Okay." he cheesed.

He was still getting used to the lingo, but he had a very good feeling the word 'fly' was a compliment.

The woman's bored look went from the two smiling teens to her pocket as she pulled out her phone. She dragged her manicured finger in a zigzag over her screen and unlocked the device. She began playing on it.

Steven was in smiles and laughter. Penny was putting on the last clip-on earring on his earlobe. "That tickles." he giggled.

She let in playful scoff. "You gotta keep still. I have to make sure it's just right." 

He held in a chuckle and his body vibrated across his shoulders. "Okay, okay." he whispered.

He felt the earring clip onto his skin and he felt the piece tug his earlobe just slightly down.

Penny leaned away. "Ayeeeeee, now we're talking." 

Steven was sporting three different colored bracelets on one arm and two on the other. Each thumb and finger had a ring or two on them and dark green jeweled earrings hung from his ears.

"Man, you can be on a music video now." she grinned.

He looked down at the colorful rocks and the shine that glinted off of them. "You really think so?"

"Yeah man." she smirked. "I'm talkin' a step above being a backup dancer."

"But, what's wrong with dancing in the back?"

Her eyebrows knitted together as the smirk turned a bit more dubious than cordial. Though she laughed it off. "That's not what I meant."

"Huh?"

"Yo, Penny!" Dijonay was sauntering over to them.

"Yeah, Dee."

The girl was already smacking her lips with a roll of her neck. "Girl, what happened to not trying out this expensive jewelry?"

"Whoops, guess I just, wanted to show Steven some bomb jewelry." she said airily.

There was another smack of her teeth. "Girl, you could've done the same for me." she looked behind herself at two store associates. One talking to a potential customer and the other dusting off the glass of one of the display cases. 

She pointed a thumb behind her. "They act like they couldn't let me try out those watches. A bunch a hassadiddy snobs is what they are."

"They probably didn't mean it like that, Dijonay."

"No, they know _exactly_ what they're doing." she scoffed through her puckered lips. "They just watch. Once I become rich and famous, I'mma be back. And they gonna have another thing coming for them." 

Penny looked over at Steven and gestured her eyes over to a pouting Dijonay. She rolled her eyes and Steven chuckled. 

"What, what y'all laughing about?" 

"Nothing, Dee." 

"Yeah, y'all got some inside jokes now." she puckered. "I see how it is."

"Oh come on Dijonay. Quit acting like that."

The girl continued to pucker. She brought her arms in to fold them.

"Did you want to try some of the ones I have on?" Steven offered. 

Dijonay's face changed instantly. The puckered frown look and her folded arms changing to a bright, cheery smile with her hands clasped and brought up to her chin as she pivoted around to her feet. "Why yes I would." she cooed in front of his face.

"Uh.." he took a step back away from her lips. "Here, you can hold some of these bracelets." he began unfastening one of them.

Dijonay smirked and gave a side eyed look to Penny. "Eheh, thanks, _Steeeven."_

Penny couldn't resist giving Dijonay another eye roll.

Steven was holding the bracelet steady around Dijonay's wrist when the sensual, dreamy eyed teen looked from him and trailed her eyes aimlessly to the other side of the room.

There she saw one of the store associates, the same one who'd denied her in trying on the watches, sliding open the glass for Zoey. Behind the glass lay ravishing, dazzling diamond rings. 

The glossy-eyed, fantasizing look left her face and made way for a shocked look of scorned disbelief. "UH uh!" she yanked her hand away from the bracelet. "I know that man ain't letting her see those rings and I couldn't even get to check out those watches! Homegirl _JUST_ as broke as me! This ain't fair!" she marched off in a run to the other side. "Hey! Hey! Yeah you!" 

Penny walked up to Steven. The two of them both sporting rather perplexed looks. 

"Uh.." Steven looked down at the bracelet still in his hands right as he was about to put the clasp on. 

"Guess she wanted to check out those rings more." said Penny. 

"I.. guess so." he lowered his hands back down.

"Well, what do you expect a girl to do?" she said breezily with a grin. "They're diamo-"

"Wow, I don't know why _she's_ rushing." LaCienega cut in. The teen was making her slow, elegant walk over to them. One hand up and showing two sparkling gold bracelets and a ring. The other placed on her hip and also with a gold bracelet accompanied by a silver studded one. "It's not like she's getting married anytime soon." 

Steven's eyes went to the sparkling jewlery on her wrists.

The gold and silver glinted over her skin.

Just a second of warmth and a buzz of his skin ticked in before he tried immediately forcing his mind to something else. 

_Remember. The jewelry can't hurt you._

_She_ can't hurt you..

_It's just the light glinting off of them. Remember, they look like stage lights to you, not anything else.._

_They don't look like the stars of the interior of her cape.._

_They look like stage lights._

Penny had ignored the little jibe towards Dijonay. "Did you get what you were looking for yet?" she asked a bit bluntly.

LaCienega was looking at the ring on her finger. On it laid a red agate gemstone. "Oh, not quite." she said nonchalantly. 

Penny grabbed at the bracelet in Steven's hand and in a nonverbal manner, he lowered his hand down towards her. She began fastening the bracelet back on his wrist and he tried giving her a little smile as she did. 

"I was actually looking for something else." LaCienega continued. "Something else.. I don't know, _snazzy."_

Penny fixed the bracelet around his wrist for the purple trapezoid gemstone to face him. "Like what?" 

Her eyes went from her ring and down to the bracelets on her wrist. "I don't know. Perhaps something fiery like a ruby or elegant like a pearl." 

Steven caught what she'd said and the names stuck and latched into his brain. 

He looked at her.

Had he misheard her? Or was he simply imagining those names? 

Maybe he'd heard correctly and the names of the jewelry just so happened to be names of the Gems. 

They're just coincidences-

".. or maybe get some emerald earrings."

_Emerald?_

Now that couldn't had been a coincidence. Was every piece of jewelry named after a Gem?

But why?

Weren't they supposed to be these mysterious aliens that people didn't know about? How did they become the names of jewelry?

".. ut I didn't like the facet of that Lapis Lazuli." Steven's breath hitched. "I told him to give me another one and-"

Gem names?

Facets?

He was trying to wrap his head around it.

But, he couldn't grasp the connect of jewelry being named with facets-

"..at shipment was going to be next..week.." LaCienega trailed off as she saw Steven's tensed, disturbed face and Penny followed her face to the direction of Steven.

His eyes were in a tight squint and his lips pulled back in a grimace to see his clenched teeth. A very unsure, apprehensive look on his face.

"Steven." 

His head snapped towards them and his eyes opened wide with worried, dilated pupils.

"Are, you okay?"

"The names." he managed to blurt out.

"Uh.. what names?" she and LaCienega glanced over at each other a bit unsure of the situation. 

"The Gems." he said. "You.. you were talking about Gem names." he pointed a finger at LaCienega. "You were talking about facets."

LaCienega's face contorted as her mouth dropped slowly. "Uh... yeaahh?" she eventually drawled out. "They're.. gemstones?" she began saying slowly and he could hear the smug, ridicule in her voice. "You know.. liiike.. jewelry? Geemstoones.. jewelryy..?" 

Penny saw Steven's face twist up even more. "LaCienega stop talking to him like that."

Gears began to work in his frazzled mind as he took in LaCienega'swords. 

".W, wha..?" he shook his head in disbelief. "You... but the Gems... the.. gemstones.. they're.. they're not really.." he looked down at the "rocks" bedazzling the gold and silver chains. And as he looked closer, he would see the intricate cuts on them. 

His heart began beating faster in his chest. 

"Wait.. these.." he swallowed. Disgusted. Goosebumps flared his skin as he felt the precious gemstones lay across his wrist and fingers. "These.. are Gems?" he whispered, repulsed. 

"Yeah? They're gemstones." said Penny. "Why?"

His stomach twisted and he felt the bile reach his throat. He swallowed again as his heart raced in his chest. 

"I, I want them off of me.." his throat was burning. He could feel the heat of his skin. "I want them off of me now!" he started unclasping the first bracelet, at the same time trying to be gentle with the Amethyst gemstones. 

"Okay, okay." Penny said soothingly to appease him. She stepped towards him and she started taking the earrings off of his ears. 

LaCienega kept her distance from the maniac looking teen as he went to take off another bracelet. "So, what?" the complacent tone was still in her voice. "You're allergic to gemstones or something?" 

"LaCienega, chill." Penny warned her. "Seriously. We don't have time for any of your snobbish remarks." she unclasped a bracelet from his arm and he began pulling the rings off of his fingers. 

"What?" she scoffed. "I'm just messing with him." she shrugged with a self-appreciating head tilt. "It's just a bunch of gemstones, no need to go on a little fit about them."

Steven's eyes snapped towards her smug look. 

Penny caught glimpse of it. "LaCienega, that's not funn-"

Steven took an indignant step towards her. "YOU are the one who's wearing them!" 

"Whoaaa, who. are you getting loud at?" she retorted. She matched his step with her own. "Duh, isn't it obvious? They're jewelry. That's what we do. We wear them." she said matter-of-factly. "And _don't_ you forget that _you_ wore them _too."_

He lowered his head. Embarrassment filling into his rage. "I.. I didn't _know_ that at first. I didn't know!" he shouted. "I, just thought they were rocks like you said!"

"Gemstones, rocks, minerals, whatever. Gemstones _are_ essentially just rocks to me. Just colorful, elegant rocks to glam yourself up with." she stated frankly. 

More disgust and agitation pervaded his mind. "It's wrong! You're just, people are just, wearing them for fun! It's, it's wrong!" 

"How?" her face wrinkled up at him. "Seriously man. What, the heck is your problem?" 

"You're my problem!" he pointed.

Her brows knitted at him. "Look, whoever you are. Some, weird, travelling roady, whatever. You keep pointing that finger at me and you're going to lose it." 

"I like to see you _try."_ he hissed. 

"OoOoOooh, okay. So we doing that now, huh punk?" she rolled up her sleeves and got in his face. 

He narrowed his eyes at her, feeling the fever-like aura of the pink dotting his cheeks. 

Penny got in between them. "Guys, guys." she threw her arms out on either side of her. "You two need to stop this." 

"Tell it to your weirdo friend over here." she gestured her chin up at Steven's face.

He grunted out in vexation. His breath grew more shallow with every second looking at the conceited look over her self-admiring smirk. 

"LaCienega, I'm talking to you too. Both of you need to stop." 

Steven pulled his attention from LaCienega's face to her. "Penny, you knew they were Gems too!" he accused.

"What? Hey, what do I have to do with this? I was just here to check out some jewelry. I have noo idea what you're talking about." 

"The Gems! They're in the jewelry! You're EMBEDDING them! THEY'RE-! HOW CAN YOU BE SO-" he felt the pink spread across his cheeks and he screwed his eyes shut and started taking quick, deep breaths. 

This time both Penny _and_ LaCienega started taking cautious steps back. 

People in the store began to watch from afar.

Zoey and Dijonay each giving each other eyebrow raised glances.

"Should we.. go over there?" Zoey asked.

"Eh, neh." Dijonay turned back around to look at more diamond rings. "The workers will handle that. Besides, I gotta find some rings for me and my man Sticky." 

As on cue, two store associates came marching over towards the bickering teens. One with a snarling look on his face as he showed his clenched teeth. The "blush" making his face show a bit pink than red.

"What seems to be the problem over here?" one of the associates asked.

The lady with her phone had zoned out on her device. She looked over at the altercation and slowly put her phone away and began slinking back towards the desk in the back of the store.

"Yes." LaCienega began in a snobbish voice. "This boy-" she pointed.

He snapped his eyes back open. A slight hint of pink around the edges of his irises. "You people are putting gemstones inside of the jewelry!" he yelled.

"Uh? Yes. Yes we are, Sir-"

"Why! How! A-" he grabbed at his hair and ran his fingers down his curls before throwing his clenched hands back down to his sides. He ignored them and pivoted around to the display case and began snatching each and every piece of jewelry off of the shelves.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

"Steven." Penny looked at him wide eyed and mouth agaped. 

The second associate brought a walkie up to her mouth. "I think we have someone trying to steal the jewelry. Close the gates." 

An alarm went off and the people watched in shock as the gates of the store began to slide down.

Steven turned back around. His arm holding various pieces of necklaces, bracelets and rings. 

_They're probably so confused.. and in so much pain.._

_Maybe I should bubble them. Let them all go to the temple for the Gems to unbubble and take them out of the jewelry-_

"Sir. THAT'S enoough!"

 _Enough!_ he could practically see the blue hand being shoved in his face as the memory wavered in his mind. 

"Just.. leave me alone!" he covered the gemstones with his arm to shield them away. "Leave all of us alone!" 

"Steven, he's not doing anything to us." said Penny. 

"You must unhand those jewels. You will not be getting out of here otherwise."

"No! They need to be set free!"

"I.. I have no idea what you're talking about." the man looked over him nervously. "We just need the jewels back."

"You poofed them!" he accused. "And you probably shattered some, didn't you!" his voice wavered over his dry throat.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. There was no clue he had to what the boy was yelling about.

"Where did you find them! Are there more!" 

"We are NOT going to disclose that information to you."

"I want to know!" he stomped his foot, leaving a divet within the floor underneath of the dark carpet. The cracked wood going unnoticed under the thick rug.

"I will not be telling you again. We need. the jewelry. back."

"Steven, you can't take the jewels. You can't just, steal them!" Penny exaggerated with a throw of her arms.

"Stealing?! Penny, these people.. can't you see what they're doing?!"

"Noooo. But I can see what _YOU'RE_ doing! Man, you can't do this! You gonna end up getting locked up." 

"I, I'm not trying to-" he clenched his eyes again as he felt the jewels shrink under his growing hands. "I, just don't want them to get hurt." 

"Who's getting hurt, Sir?" the man genuinely asked. 

Steven ignored him. "I need to take them out." he whispered to his self in a hushed, frantic voice. "They need to reform. They need to be free." he took his arm away from the pieces of jewelry. 

A green stone was fixed into a bracelet that laid at the top of the pile of jewelry. He grabbed at it with his fingers and tried to pluck the piece out. His fingers being oubled in size and unable to grab the gemstones from the holds of the bracket.

"What are you doing to that expensive bracelet!"

He shapeshifted his fingers to normal size before pinching the corner of the green gemstone and successfully plucking it out right as his fingers double in size once more.

_Maybe the Jade can reform now.._

"Sir! You need to put that gemstone back!"

"No!" he held the green rock in his hand, waiting for that familiar green glow to engulf the gemstone at any moment.

"Sir-"

"You people.." he shook his head sadly. He bit at his lip as tears stung his eyes. "You really do this to Gems.."

"Do what?"

"Steven, what's the matter?" he looked over at Penny's uncomfortable look.

"They're just gemstones." the associate added. "Just, rocks."

"No! They're not!" he blinked the tears back. "How could you do this?" he looked down at the green gemstone that continued to lay in his hand.

_Why isn't she reforming?_

Customers watched on and Zoey, with Dijonay now watching with her, viewed the ongoing tension between Steven and the clerk.

"Sir, please. Those are expensive gemstones"

"These are PRECIOUS lives!" he looked back down at the gemstone as a tear slid from the corner of his eye.

"They're just mere gems and rocks. Not living things." he said candidly. "Just, colorful little stones." 

He sniveled at the gemstone in his palm. "No, they're not."

"These" he quickly swiped the stone from Steven's faded pink hand. 

"Hey!"

The man put his hand out. "Sir." and he lowered his hand from his face- 

Steven didn't care anymore. In just seconds he would use his shield and take back that Jade-

".. re just rocks. No life at all. We mine them. We dig these up and we cut and polish them and some of them we treat with oil or wax, or resin, then they're customized and fit into chains or bands." a beat. "More or less, that's what usually happens." he held the gemstone between his thumb and index finger in front of him. "No life. Just, gems.. rocks, stones, what have you." 

Steven kept his arm up, though his Gem had dulled out.

He looked at the gemstone that had yet to reform.

What was this guy talking about?

'Mining'? He didn't know what that was.

Putting oil and wax on them? What was going on?

"They're rocks, kid. Just nonliving gemstones that we find underground."

Steven's teary, angered eyes never left the gemstone in the man's hand. His closed lips trembling on his slighty tinted pink face. 

"You.." his voice cracked. "you just.. found them like that? Just like that?" he let out a shaky breath. "Nothing came from them?"

"What do you mean?" 

"They didn't.." the word 'reform' stuck to his pallet. 

"Didn't what? Sir, we find these deep underground. We use special construction equipment and tools and we dig them up. We take them back to the building where they are treated and then properly handled and put into jewelry." 

"And they.. but the whole time.. they.." he grabbed at his head as a headache started to form. "They just.. stayed as gemstones? They didn't.. I mean nothing.. you.. you guys didn't see the anything coming out of.." everytime he kept trying to ask him, the questions only died on his tongue.

"I'm not sure what you're trying to get at here." the man tipped the gemstone back to the palm of his hand. 

_So.. they're just.._

He looked back once more at the green gemstone in the man's that had yet to reform.

_Maybe.. they really are just..._

At this time the gemstone should've reformed, but it didn't.

And, in a way the stone had looked.. a bit different from the other Jade gemstones he'd encountered a few times when he was with the Gems.

He looked down at the jewelry in his arm.

All of the stones looked slightly different from the gemstones on actual Gems.

Maybe.. it was such a thing as two different kinds of gemstones?

Though one thought came to his mind if there were some that were possibly live Gems. Or if the smaller gemstones in the jewelry were actually shattered Gems.

He could feel his self starting to get worked up again before he quickly, forcefully had to rip that thought away from his mind.

_No. None of these aren't._

_Otherwise, they would've reformed way before they were treated and put into jewelry._

Steven looked to the man's slightly flustered look.

Now the teen was feeling embarrassed.

He really just made a scene.. for nothing..

He looked around the room to see all of the eyes on him and the heat of his skin blanketed his body and he had to stop his self from reacting any more than what he'd felt just then. 

He ducked his head between his shoulders. The perturbed look clear and evident on his face. "I..." he trailed off. Speechless.

Everyone was still looking at him.

And Penny.. the teen having this slightly worried, bemused look to her features.

Now he was feeling more guilty.

Moments passed as his embarrassment stewed inside him. 

Still, everyone was quiet. 

The room eerily still and silent.

And he wanted nothing but to run at half the light speed and far away from everyone, never to look back.

And he would've.

Except he knew the consequences of running away and not facing one's mistakes or problems..

He'd learned that indirectly.

And years later he'd learned that personally.

He took small, timid steps towards a display case and placed his arm over it and spilled the jewelry along the glass of the casing. 

Then he took a few meekly steps back. 

Dead silence still lingered in the store.

"S, sorry.. for the misunderstanding." he managed to whisper out hoarsely. 

The store clerk looked down at the jewelry and snatched the jewels away from the display case forcefully and without a word, marched away from them.

The second associate who'd spent her time standing by the store's gate, had brought the walkie back up to her lips to say something.

Moments later and the gate began to raise back up into the ceiling.

She began walking away.

Steven looked to everyone and as if the world itself had reset, everyone looked away from him and began looking at the jewelry and or began to converse with the store's associates once more as if, nothing had ever happened and the incomprehensible white noise chatter filled the store once again as everything seemed to resume.

Steven stood there, still feeling embarrassed and guilty at what he'd done.

There was a scoff from LaCienega that he heard but didn't bother acknowledging. "Wow. What a total loon." 

_"Watch_ it, LaCienega." Penny turned away from her and walked over towards Steven, though the closer she got the more slow and cautious her steps became.

"Hey uh.. you.. good now?" the boy turned to her and she could see the embarrassed blush on his cheeks. His mouth in a frown and his sorrowful eyes looking at her. "or.....?"

He sighed. A second later he shrugged. "Mm.." 

He felt so stupid.

"At..least we got that straightened out." she tried to cheer him up. "Right?"

He shrugged once more. "Yeah.." he mumbled.

But did he really have to cause a scene like that? Why now does he keep ruining things? 

"I'm sorry.." he whispered. "I.." he didn't know how to say it how to form a cohesive sentence. "I guess I kind of.."

"Soo, I take it you like Lions and gemstones too?" then she was quick to clarify. "Uh, certain.. gemstones?"

He took a deep breath as he felt a tear slide down his cheek. He wiped at it. "Yeah.."

"Man, this kid just keeps getting weirder and weirder." LaCienega jeered. 

Steven looked at her, but the downcast look stayed on his apologetic face as he kept quiet.

Penny grabbed lightly at his shoulders as she turned to face the girl. "LaCienega, you going to keep insulting him or are you going to actually make yourself useful for once?"

The girl made a dramatic mocked gasped. 

"Look, why don't you, I don't know, go look at yourself in the reflection of the display cases or, buy a watch or something. He does _not_ need any more negativity." 

With a pouting huff and a hand on her hip, she sauntered with every bit of arrogance in her step as she made her way to another part of the store.

Penny watched on with a glare in her eyes as LaCienega made it far enough away from them. With enough space away from them to her liking, she turned her attention back to Steven who had his head down.

"Hey.. are you okay, Steven?"

"It was stupid of me to act like that." he all but blurted out coarsely. The guilt gripping at him. "I always act so stupid.."

"Hey, man. It's cool. So you got some gemstones mixed up. Happens to the best of us." 

"You don't understand.."

"What, whatchu mean?"

"I'm.. _always_ messing stuff up.." he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Steven, really. You don't have to beat yourself up about this." she said coolly with a breezy smirk to her face. "Stuff happens. Ain't nothing to worry about for real."

"No.." he shook his head as he felt the tuffs of his hair grow. That one errant spike of a hair sticking underneath of his curls. "This is bad.." his breath hitched. _"I'm_ bad.." the pink engulfed his face. He threw his hands in front of him to cover the glow. 

"Heey, no you're not. So you got a bit upset, you're some kind of bad guy now?" she let out a slight chuckle. "You good man and it's not like you ended up really damaging any jewelry. At least you didn't break or shatter any gemstones." 

_..At least you didn't break or shatter any Gemstones.._

_..shatter any gemstones.._

Steven snapped his eyes open from behind the cover of his sleeves. His pink jacket blocking his vision before he clenched his eyes shut once more.

Shame and remorse and guilt slammed into him as the thought of his self still being in the temple came to the fore. 

_"I mean, it would be weird if we didn't, right? And maybe, I've had a not-so-nice thought or two about, like, you know, slamming White Diamond's head through a pillar, but it's not like I actually went through with it! I only ACTUALLY shattered Jasper!"_

_He remembers hearing Pearl gasped in utter shock and disbelief. Disappointed and denial in her wide eyes._

_"WHAT?!" he could still hear Amethyst's shout clear as day. The shocked look at hearing that he actually shattered her sister.._

_Garnet. He could only imagine how she felt upon hearing that he actually shattered a Gem. Something that not even his mother did. Something that the Crystal Gems despised and something that they held against the Diamonds._

_Then his father was there.. after what he'd put him through in the van.. then Connie was there.. hearing her shocked voice, "You're.. you're joking, right?"_

_If only he was joking.._

_"Oh, don't worry!" he'd told them. "I fixed that too!" thanks to the Diamond essence. "I can fix anything. I can just keep messing up and fixing things forever and you'll never have to know or think about any of it!" or so he'd genuinely thought that at the time._

_"Steven.." Garnet called to him and he couldn't bare to hear anything else from anyone in the room. "How messed up is that?" he cut her off. "That I've gotten away with this for so long. You have no idea how bad I am."_

Nobody knew how bad he truly was. 

And Penny and everyone else was there to see just a glimpse of that. 

Why did he act like that earlier..

Why couldn't he had just talked to the man like a civilised human being?

Maybe because he wasn't one.

Not because he was a Gem..

No..

Because he was a monster..

A freak of nature like Nubia said..

He.. was a _monster.._

Penny was looking at a few passerby as they walked out the store. The teen rubbing at his arm as she was looking away from him. "Well, it looks like the store is about to close anyway. If you want we can just sit at one of the benches until the girls are done." she turned around to see Steven looming above her. His hair doubled in size with his jacket still covering his bright glowing face. His broad shoulders shaking with every breath. "Hey, you don't have to cry.." she looked at the boy who'd seemed to be at least a few inches taller. "Hey uh.." she tilted her head. "Were you.. always that tall?" 

Steven didn't answer her and she gently grabbed at his arms and he pulled them in. "No!" he turned away and she let go of his jacket. "I'm...not a good person.." he cried. "You should just leave.." he felt pressure in his back as a thorny scute formed from the soft skin of his back and formed into a light pink dorsal spike. 

"..What? Steven, I'm not going to leave you." she was smirking, but it was more apologetic or even a bit concerned than affable or inviting. "Maaan, you really gotta stop downing yourself like this. It's cool. We can just go and sit down or, do something else."

"I.." 

Penny leaned in.

"I just need to get out of here.." his whispers wavered as he began panting heavily. "I can't be here.. I need to go.." one hand was blotched with pink patches as the fingernails grew and darkened to pink. 

"Uh, yeah. That's what I was saying." she said obliviously. "Let's go sit outside."

"Peennyyyy." 

The teen looked over to see Dijonay running over. A huge diamond ring on her chubby ring finger. 

Penny was already shaking her head. "Noo, Dijonay." she said in a shushed tone. "We don't need any more distractions right now."

"What, whatchu talkin' bout?" 

"Steven has to go. I'm taking him outside for some fresh air."

"Girl, he don't need no 'fresh air'." she pushed back her blonde hair. "What he need is me." she went to give Penny a playful push out the way and the teen stepped back. "I don't think that's a good idea, Dijonay."

"Girl, whatchu know? You can't even keep a man for more than one episode."

"What? What does that even-? Now what is that supposed to mean?"

"Isn't that self explanatory?" she turned around to face Steven. "Now you watch how it's done."

Penny's face dropped to unethused skepticism. She folded her arms and watched the teen poke at Steven's jacket sleeve. "Heeeeeeey~~" she cooed with a pucker of her lips. 

Steven threw one arm to the side as he took a step back.

Dijonay had a sensual pouting face for a split second before it dropped to a more confounded look with her raised eyebrow. "Huh.. your skin lookin' pretty pink under these mall lights. Must be some kind of tungsten or sepia filter going on." her face was back in a puckered smirk. "Whatever, you got that hot glow going in with that skin." she batted her eyes.

Steven took a couple steps away from her.

He needed some space.

And she was too close.

Everyone was too close. 

Every _thing_ was too close.

That dreamy, half-lidded, promiscuous look was back on her face as one arm was hidden behind her back.

What was she holding behind her back?

Was she going to hurt him?

Because she knew how much of a monster he was?

What was she going to-

He took a side step away from her and his eyes caught something bright pink hanging on the wall.

A picture of a side view of a round cut pink diamond. 

His eyes went wide and his breath felt like it'd been knocked out of him. He felt an ache in his gem and grabbed at his stomach. He opened his mouth to take in some air that his lungs kept preventing to come in.

Penny looked in the general direction he was looking in and saw the pink diamond poster and beneath it shelves filled with diamond rings and necklaces. She turned back around to see Steven gaping for air. "Uh, Dijonay.."

"Oooooh, look at that. Eheh, I'm taking his breath away." she murmured. She sauntered over to him. "Heya Steeeeveeen." 

His dilated eyes snapped in her direction as she brought her arm from around her back and in his face. 

A sparkling, glimmering, shiny white diamond on a black band around her finger.

The round cut of the diamond just inches from his face.

"Maaarrry me, looooover boy." she teased as she wiggled her fingers in his face.

He couldn't take in any air. The tiny, faint glimpse of air he was able to take it was long gone.

His eyes looking at his own road down death as he stared at the cut of the diamond.

His chest burned as his heart raced. He could feel his gem slowly ripping out of him by long, black nails.

The phantom pain seemingly too real and he could feel every bit of the pain of every pull and the feel of his gem being yanked out of his stomach.

His eyes.. glued to the white diamond on her ring..

_Now Starlight.._

His eyes.. on the round cut of the diamond.

_..this has gone .._

His eyes on the intricate cut of the gemstone.

_..on long enough.._

His throat felt as if it was closing. The white Diamond ring.. in an attempt to bring his mother back.

The pink hue spread from his face to the rest of his body.

Dijonay was saying something.. but White Diamonds voice was only heard through the smirk of her puckering lips. 

_"It's time to come out, Pink."_ he heard White Diamond's voice through Dijonay's lips.

He could feel the cold tips of her nails on the edge of his gem.

"No!" he backpedaled away and crashed into a display case and fell to the ground. He grabbed at his stomach. "You.. get away from me!" he finally found his breath as it quickened. 

Dijonay was at a lost for words. An opened mouthed, shocked look on her face. 

He was quick to scramble back to his feet. His hand still grabbing his stomach to protect his gem as he pushed his self to a run. 

Penny and Dijonay and a few onlookers watched as the frantic, pink glowing boy ran out the store. 

A loud guffaw erupted within the silence as LaCienega walked over towards the girl. "Wow, Dijonay. I've never seen a boy run that fast away from you."

The open mouthed shocked look stayed on her face for a few more moments before dropping to a disgusted, defensive mug. "Daaaaaaannng. He ain't have to act like that though!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've kinda low key wondered if there's such things as gemstone jewelry in the SU universe? And like, would Steven and the Gems be weirded or grossed out by it? *Shrugs* Don't know, but in this fic at least they're two different things x)
> 
> That makes things a bit more easier to digest.😝


	13. In hiding

Steven was running.

The boy steadily growing bigger the more distance he covered as he ran up the hall. 

Onlookers watched his as he dashed pass them in a bright pink hue. 

He had to do something. He had to get out of there. He just, needed to be alone. 

He just wanted to leave.

He saw the people gawk at him. Their heads corned up as his body steadily towered to eight feet. 

He grabbed the sides of his jacket and pulled it up to his head to shield his face from them. 

More indistinguishable chatter as he ran pass more stores and passerby. 

He felt his self grow taller and the ceramic floors crushed into a crater with under every step. 

A few people pointed at the cracked flooring or the nine foot teen running pass. 

Everything he touches.. he destroys..

He needed to leave..

He needed to.. 

He saw a bathroom sign overhead. 

More passerby watched on as the ten foot, bright pink teen ran pass. 

The boy, unbeknownst to him, running pass a shop that had a t.v in its display window. The screen showing a weather channel of a brown skin man in a suit and glasses standing in front of a seven day forecast screen. The man seemingly, coincidentally looking as if he'd turned around upon seeing the boy run pass. The man walking up to the t.v screen and turning his head to the direction of where he went. He pushed up his glasses. "Hm.." his lips twisted up in thought. "I think it's going to be a rainy week all this week folks. I'm talking overcast and dreary days up ahead." 

  


Steven ran pass a few teens at the urinals and grabbed hold of the first stall door he came across. He ran inside and slammed the door close, the door breaking off it's hinges and he ha to hold the door in place haphazardly. 

"He must really had to go." one person joked. 

"Yo probably had that fish taco joint from Baco Tellz."

The teens laughed at each other's jokes. 

There was a sound of running water, then a, "Aye man. You didn't wash your hands." 

Followed by a, "So?" from his friend. 

The pairs of footsteps left out the restroom. 

Steven had crouched down to prevent his self from being seen from the stall walls. He leaned back on the graffiti written stall and felt the sharp dorsal spike pierce into the wall. 

His breath continued to stagger and he felt his hand clench up, his dark pink, hook claws on the one hand digging into the wall as he did. The hard scrape of his nails echoing into his ears.

This was something that'd been in the back of his mind after his outburst and even after his first and second therapy session. 

If he would ever go down this road again and turn into his worst nightmare..

And he did. 

Almost.

And almost was close enough for him.

Even after months of therapy.. months of being on the road and starting to be optimistic about his long journey, this happens..

He thought he was getting better. 

He thought he was finally getting passed all of this..

Tears stung his diamond eyes and he clenched them shut as a hiccup of a sob left his mouth.

Maybe he was never going to get better..

Maybe he will always feel.. and be like this..

  
  


"Hey, you seen a guy with nice, curly hair? Handsome?" Penny stepped up on her toes and stretched out her hand above her head. "Like, yay tall? He got on a pink varsity jacket." 

The woman nodded and pointed to the pairs of dints along the floor. "Just follow the yellow tiled craters." 

That earned a perplexed look from the teen, but she looked back at the lady with a small smile. "Thanks." she took off in a run up the hall and eventually saw the cracked divuts leading into the hall of the restrooms. 

She ran pass the t.v behind the display window. The channel now showing a cooking show. 

Penny followed the craters and didn't hesitate to run into the men's room.

"Hey, wait! You're a girl!" one boy announced as he pointed at her.

Four guys turned away from the urinels they were using. They quickly zipped up their flies.

She ignored the boy and ran to the stall where the craters had lead to.

"There's a GIRL in the men's bathroom!" he announced again.

"A girl?!" someone in another stall yelled. He flushed the toilet and there was the sound of him trying to quickly buckle his belt.

"Girl! In the MENS bathroom!" the teen shouted once more. 

He and the ones at the urinels ran out the bathroom. Moments later a young man ran out of the stall. He hollered at the teenaged girl and booked own the tilted floors. A long piece of toilet tissue tucked within his pants and flying behind him as he ran out the restroom. 

Penny rolled her eyes. 

Faint sobbing was heard in front of her and she turned her attention back to the door. 

"Uh.. Steven?" 

The cries from behind the stall answered her. 

She raised a hand up in front of her. "Steven? You in there?" she tapped her knuckle on the door. 

He didn't answer her.

He didn't want to answer her.. but wanted to at the same time. 

More tears streamed down his face and he wiped his pink blotched hand across his cheek.

"Steven, I know you're in there." 

He looked at the claws on his hand. His breath hitched as the tears slid down his cheeks. 

He closed his hand slowly, putting his thumb across his fingers.

He stared down at the dark pink claws.

"Look.. Steven? We're really sorry what happened back there. We didn't know you had this.. _thing_ going on between you and jewelry." 

His throat felt tight and he tried to swallow.

"If I had known that, I wouldn't had even suggested that you go there. I just, thought it would be cool if you checked out more of our stores. I thought you would've like going in their and having a bit of fun."

Steven chewed at his lip.

He couldn't tell her the real reason..

Even if he wanted to..

"Come on, Steven. We're reaally sorry. Especially Dijonay. That girl crazy, but she knows when she's stepped out of bounds." there was a pause. "Okay.. well, she doesn't-BUT, she knows that she really upset you and, she's sorry about that." 

He rubbed his thumb along the faint blotched pink scales of his hand.

"I may not know what.. really went on back there. AndIdon'tneedto!" she quickly clarified. "But, I don't want you to think that we did this on purpose or that we were out to get you." he saw the shadow shift slightly from underneath the door. "We're not trying to, scare you away or like, hurt you or cause you any kind of pain or anything." 

Steven laid on the wall silently.

If he was younger, he would've been all out in the open with his emotions. He would've been talking about them. Maybe even singing them out.

But why now, years later, was it so hard for him to speak what's really on his mind? What he's really feeling?

Has he learned _anything_ from his therapy sessions?

Why.. couldn't he find his words now? 

Even leaving out the Gem parts he could stll at least muster something up..

So why weren't any words coming to him?

"I really hope this doesn't ruin anything between you and the group." she began again. "You pretty cool. We wouldn't mind bringing you back out here again or taking you to some other places. You know, without gemstones." she added. "Like the movies or the amusement park or the beach. They all don't have gemstones." then she wondered. "I mean, you cool with seashells right? That's not like, another thing of yours, is it?" 

A very wan tick of an upturned corner of the lip came to his face before vanishing back into a frown.

"Well if it is, we could always go to an indoor pool. That works just as fine and we don't have to worry about you or Zoey becoming lobsters."

If he wasn't still stuck in this solemn mood, he would've found that funny. Especially since he knew all too well about sunburns from living in Beach City for sixteen years.

"Hmm~" she hummed. "I don't hear anymore crying." she regarded light-heartedly. And somehow he could hear the smile in her voice. "Soooo, I guess you're contemplating that?" 

Was he?

He hadn't noticed he'd stopped crying. 

But that pain and the feel of both wanting to be alone and wanting to be hugged by the world was still fighting alongside each other in his mind.

He was going to need a bit more space.. a moment..

He took a breath and blinked his eyes slowly. He could practically feel the rhombus shaped pupils still residing in the pink of his irises.

How was he ever going to get out of this?

"on't have anything to worry about." he realized she was still talking, but managed to hear a bit of the ending. "So, it's cool. We got your back."

Did they really?

Despite of not knowing him, despite of everything that he'd done today, did they _really?_

Could he even believe them?

His face loosened, more so in defeat.

He was simply tired at this point.

He just wanted to leave..

".. ain't judging you." the voice was so sweet sounding, so pleasant sounding and friendly. "So, you knoow," her voice had this mixture of giddiness and playful, yet sincere invite to it. "I'm here for you. Whenever you need someone to talk to. Or just, to chill with and say nothing at all." she joked.

She said she was there for him.

Someone who he barely even knew.

Or was she saying that too?

His mind wouldn't allow him to believe it, despite of that glimmer of hope he was feeling in his chest just then.

He did need people to talk to.

He always need people, whether he admitted it or not.

He looked to the broken door he was still holding.

Maybe she would be someone he could really talk to?

The idea melted in his mind smoothly. 

He needed someone.

And she said she would be there and she sounded genuine about it.

That did make him feel like smiling at least, despite the smile not physically coming to his lips.

"And this can be one of those times we can just chill and, say nothing." he saw her shadow shift again and heard the door creak as she leaned on it. "I'll be right here, until you're ready. Just take your time."

He kept his eyes to the door but still didn't speak a word to her. Though he was ever thankful to just have her calm him down, even just slightly.

She had a way with her words that he couldn't explain but it made him feel a small candlelight of warmth inside.

And, after some time of thinking, he soon realized that he was actually happy that she was there with him.

He felt a very tiny smile finally come to his lips.

He looked down at his hand.

The blotched scales were still scattered around the back of his hand and the claws were still there.

The smile dropped.

Maybe he still needed more time to calm his mind and his body down.

He closed his eyes and took another breath.

That was okay. He could take his time.

Penny was still out there with him and she didn't mind the wait. As long as she could be there for him even if he hadn't said anything for the whole ten minutes.

He still needed a moment and she respected that.

And that, he could appreciate.

  
  


Steven hadn't paid any mind to how long they'd stayed in there. The teen too busy focusing on his breathing as he focused on one object, listing things about it mentally in his mind.

The object just so happened to be the flusher of the toilet for a reason he couldn't figure out himself.

As he was calming back down he'd heard from time to time guys shouting out in surprise at seeing Penny in the bathroom.

He should definitely leave now.

In any case, he was beginning to feel better. Not one hundred percent by any means, but things in his mind were a bit more manageable now.

He was finally ready to leave.

He looked to the door and tapped on it with an unblotched, non pink glowing hand.

No answer.

His eyebrows furrowed gently together. He gave another tap, a bit louder with his knuckle.

On the other side of the stall, Penny barely heard the second tap on the door. The teen half sleep and slumped on the stall door. "H, huh? What was that?" she blinked her tired eyes. "Huh?" she turned her head to the side. "Steven?"

"I.." he still had this.. shy, embarrassed feeling in his gut. "didn't want to open the door while you were still leaning on it.." 

"Oh! Eheh, whoops." her voice was whimsical and guileless. She pushed herself up. "You can open the door now." 

Moments later, as if hesitantly, Penny saw the door push outwards. The door completely torn from its hinges.

She looked at the guilty, yet apologetic looking teen as he shrugged meekly. "I.. guess they didn't screw the hinges on tight enough?" 

She looked at him, then at the door he was setting down vertically on the floor. "Yeah.." she nodded slowly. "Yeah I can see that." then she added. "My dad is pretty bad at maintenance work too." she grinned.

Steven nodded, though his mind was only on one thing at that time. Something that he'd always gotten throughout the years and something that'd ultimately saved him from being his own monster and something.. that he wasn't able to get a lot and desperately missed while being out on the road.

"Well, somebody will come fix the door. We don't have to worry about-"

Steven stepped in and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. The gesture catching her off guard and making take a step or two back before realizing what he was doing.

With her hands up in a karate chop form, she slowly lowered them back down and looked at the teen with his head resting on her shoulder. His eyes closed and a very faint, hint of a wistful smile on his face.

Seconds ticked on before she put her own arms around him and hugged him back.

  
  


"Man, what the heck are they doing in there?" LaCienega huffed. 

Zoey scratched at her neck. "I don't know, maybe he just needs more coaxing?"

"Coaxing? That guy needs more than that. I'm talking straightjacket with a face guard."

"Aw, LaCienega.. don't you think that's just a little mean?" 

"A little mean? Zoey, do you need to fill out a better prescription for those nerd glasses of yours? Did you _not_ see how he went off in the store!" 

"Yeaah." Dijonay agreed with a pout and a neck roll. "And don't even get me started on how he just dissed me like that in the Wiz's famous jewelry store. That's like, sixty points of street cred I need to get back." 

"I'm telling you, that guy is a real weirdo. A ticking time bomb that goes off at every and any moment."

Zoey and Dijonay saw him and Penny rounding the bin and walking up the blue tiled hallway. "Oh, here they come, here they come." Zoey whispered.

The three of them waited. Both LaCienega and Dijonay with a glare to their eyes with their arms folded. A pose of their legs, with one bend and the other straighten, giving off that stern, strong, independent, "you're gonna get it" look. 

Zoey simply standing their unsure of the situation with a frown and an unsure posture to her stature.

"We're back." said Penny.

"It's about time, Proud." said LaCienega. "We've wasted even _more_ time with this guy." 

Steven's look was every bit apologetic 

Penny held a hand up. "Yeah, you're gonna stop right there. He needed some time, so I gave him that. And now, he's done. So, let's just put all of this behind us."

"Yeah, like you really expect me to do that."

"I expect you to find some kind of decency in you." she pointed a warning finger at her. "That's what I expect you to do." 

LaCienega rolled her eyes.

"Hey guys. Maybe we can all go for some ice cream down at the food court." Zoey suggested. "There's nothing like blowing off some steam with something deliciously sweet and cool-"

"No!" the three said in unison.

She jumped. "Uh.. sorry? I.. just.. figured...... that..." the glare from her friends made her trail off. She cleared her throat with a cough.

"Look, we still got some time, right?" Penny asked. "Let's just hit up a couple more stores, then bounce." 

The three of them exchanged glances. LaCienega and Dijonay still with a stern look to their features with Zoey sporting a very small, deprecatory side smile.

They looked back at Penny and Dijonay shrugged. "I guess I'm down with that." 

"I'm only agreeing to this because I want to buy some more things." said LaCienega.

"Then I guess our mall day is still on." Zoey cheered lightly with a smile full of braces.

"Cool." Penny turned to Steven. "You cool with that?" 

He looked at her. 

Maybe.. she should've thought about asking that _before_ suggesting they hang out for a bit longer.

But..

He could see her friends from the corner of his eye.

He didn't necessarily want to be the one person to break up the plans either, despite of him feeling like he was on auto pilot and ..just simply wanting to _leave_ and just lay down in his bed with the covers over his head..

"Sure." and he knew his voice sounded unsure.

Penny smiled at him. "Okay. Cool." and with that, she turned away from him.

He didn't know what it was about with her and the people of Wizville, but it seemed like nuances and subtilities really went over their heads. 

Either that or they were way more indifferent and blasé than the townies in Beach City.

Steven took a step to follow her when he locked eyes with Dijonay. The girl narrowing her eyes at him with a twist of her lips.

The slight heat of embarrassment was coming back.

He should say something to her about what happened. Or, at the least apologize for it.

"Uh.. sorry.." he said. "About what I did earlier. It had nothing to do with you. Honest." he hesitated as he tried to tap dance around the reason, but eventually ended up saying, "I, just have this.. thing with Diamonds.." 

Dijonay's eyes never left his for a few extremely long seconds before she raised an eyebrow. "So.. what? You proposed to someone or something?" 

Her face was still stuck in a stern pout, but there was something about her voice or the way she worded the question that made it seem like she was asking jokingly.

Either way, that didn't stop him from grimacing.

He _had_ proposed. _And, that didn't end well._

But that wasn't the reason for why he was acting like that.

The four of them had rather suspicious and maybe even uncomfortable or, just a slight look of trepidation on their faces as they looked at the guilt-ridden, frowning boy. "Actually it's uh.." he tried to think of a scapegoat to use, but after seconds passed, couldn't think of one. "It's.. other stuff." 

Everyone was still sporting their looks from earlier, though the uncomfortable look was even more evident on their faces. 

Steven looked between the four of them.

And awkward silence only but lingered for a few seconds before Zoey spoke up timidly and robotically with a, "Uh, hey, Penny? On a second thought.. I, just remembered I have that uh.. that, thing, that I have to do. Uh, tonight. Yeah, I.. don't think I'll be able to stay much longer after all." she grinned and mocked innocence.

"Oooo giiirl. Yeah, I do too. I got that.. thing that I need to get done with all my brothers and sisters." said Dijonay.

"Well looks like _you_ two have stuff to do. But I'm still going to do my shopping-"

Dijonay elbowed her in the side. 

"Uh, I mean, yeeees." she mocked forgetfulness. "Yeah, I have to help out on this cosa grande with mi familia. I won't be able to hang out any longer either." 

Penny wasn't buying it but Steven seemed genuinely down more so since he felt that was to blame.

"Weeeell.. I guess it settles it then?" said Zoey. "Looks like we all have stuff to do and since LaCienega is the one with the car." she shrugged. "Guess we have no choice."

"Well there's always the bus." said LaCienega.

Dijonay elbowed her once more. 

"I mean riiiight, riiiight. I got the car, so I have to take all of you losers home."

LaCienega started her walk away from the group and Dijonay followed close behind her.

Zoey made a glance over at Steven and Penny. "Hey, don't worry guys. There's.." she scratched at her head nervously. "Well, there's always another time?" her voice went up an octave. 

"It's cool, Zo." Penny brushed it off. "Let's just head out."

Zoey took a few steps and stopped before turning back around. "Uh.. it was, nice meeting you Steven?" her voice sounded unsure with a wave of her freckled hand. 

"Yeah.." he mumbled, disheartened. "Nice.. meeting you too." he waved back.

The teen turned back around and began her jog up to catch up with the other two.

Steven powered his hand down and his face dropped even more.

Guess that was the last straw..

Maybe he just officially ruined it with her friends..

And, who knows. Maybe even with Penny too-

"Hey, don't worry about them." she tried to reassure him and ease his mind. "Let's just get you home."

With a hesitant a culpable feeling in his gut, he gave her a wordless nod and she started her walk down the hall. He followed right beside her in the near empty mall as her friends all but went in a hurried jog towards the exit of the store.

Janitors and mall cops roamed the mall as one party cleaned and disinfected the areas while the other began to escort people out before the mall's closing.


	14. Back at the house

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter o3o

Back at the Proud's household, Trudy and a good friend of hers had been in the kitchen as the former was preparing dinner. 

Suga Mama and Papi were sitting on the couch as they watched wrestling. The old, suave man was leaning back on the red, velvet Contessa with his hands stuffed in his pockets. The older woman was sitting close to him and leaning forward as her old, sunken in eyes behind her red framed glasses eyed the two men on the television set. One hulking guy in red shorts was running up to a tall, just as hulking of a male. The latter threw his arms up and charged back towards him.

Suga Mama raised her arms up. "Get up, Ramón! Get-I said get him!" she threw a makeshift left hook, barely missing Puff's puffball on his head. The little poodle woke up from the air brushing pass his fur. He raised his head up from his paws and looked up at her. 

There was a sound of something heavy being slammed down into the mat, accompanied by a man hollering out. Then, there was a unison "Aaaaawwww!!!" amidst the crowd.

Suga Mama kept her hands into fists. "What are you doing just laying down there, Ramón! You gonna let him land a move on you like that! Ooooo, you betta grab a leg! An arm! Something!" she hollered at the screen. 

Another arm was thrown into a low punch and the poodle opened his mouth in a silent yelp of surprise and brought his head down quickly, the burly, rough, calloused hand barely missing his head. He threw his tiny paws over his nose, covering his eyes in the process as another hand was thrown, hitting the top of his curly puffball.

The crowd began to cheer and boo as the match went on. The hefty guy was now sitting on Ramón's back opposite of where the man was facing as he pulled the man's leg back. 

Ramón grinded his teeth in pain as he slapped his hand on the mat.

Papi sat there quiet and cool and collected as he grinned complacently beside her as she yelled at the television.

"Get up Ramón! Show him what you're made of!" she shouted. 

Puff let another swing miss him before hesitating at first, then slowly opening his eyes back up. He looked around and seeing no more makeshift uppercuts or jabs from the heavily engrossed elderly woman, he lowered his arms away from his face and raised his face back up.

His mouth hung down in a happy pant and he jumped off her lap in a means to escape the heavy champ woman. 

He landed on the cushion beside her and right as he turned to the edge of the couch to jump down, a heavy arm was swung over. "The elbow, Ramón!" 

The hand collided with Puff's face and the dog was sent hurtling backwards and flying over the couch. 

"Ooo!" her voice was filled with remorse. "Sorry, Puff."

The poodle landed head first on the carpet before his body fell belly down on the carpet with it.

And, right between the twins who were playing with their ABC blocks.

Without looking back she said, "You know your Suga Mama ain't mean to knock you out."

Papi looked over at the dog with swirling circles for eyes as he laid in a daze. He looked back over to the elderly woman with her eyes still glued to the t.v. "Tus puños no son las _únicas_ cosas que noquearán a nadie. Mirar tu cara tendrá el mismo efectooo." (Your fists aren't the _only_ things that will knock anyone out. Looking at your face will have the same effect.) "WooooHA! WoooHAHAHA!!"

As the seniors continued to watch the wrestling match, Puff was slowly coming to.

He blinked his eyes as he slowly raised up on wobbly front legs.

He heard a set of mischievous coos and giggles and he snapped open his eyes. He looked on either side of him to see the naughty looks on either of the twins' faces. One with a narrowed eyed glare and both with evil smiling faces. One, having a bottle between his side teeth.

They were both standing close to the dog as he sat meekly in between them, shaking in fear. 

He let out a string of desperate whimpers as he tried to run away, right as a toddler hand grabbed at his tail and pulled him back.

He let out more desperate pleas as Cece took his front arms and pulled him towards her as her brother pulled on the poodle's tail and pulling it towards him.

The two going back and forth as they pulled Puff left and right.

The dog's whimpers and yelps were ignored as they giggled and laughed over it.

"Come on, Ramón! The arms! Get him by the arms!" Suga Mama was heard behind them on the couch.

Bebe let go and Cece fell back in malicious giggles as the dog fell over top of her.

Puff tried scrambling back to his feet and jumping off from her stomach but Bebe grabbed his arms and pulled him back and to the carpet. 

"Yeah! That's it Ramón! Now grab him! Keep him down! Use your legs!"

Cece got up and lunged forward towards them. She wrapped her arms around Puff as he continued to whimper and plea. She pushed him to the ground and fell over top of him to hold him down as Bebe came over and dove beside his head. He rolled to his butt and wrapped his legs around the poodle's neck in a headlock.

The crowd was cheering on t.v.

"Yeah!! There you go, Ramón! Don't let him go! Don't let him go!"

Puff whimpered as he tried pawing at the boy's sock covered ankles.

  
  


"I mean, can you really be _lieve_ that?" Trudy asked with condescending disbelief. 

The brown skinned latina was up in complacent laughter. "Oh, Trudy." she scoffed. "He didn't really think that self-flattery and the credit of being some extra on _one_ movie set would let him knock off a few bucks to his vet bills."

Trudy placed a steaming hot pan on a tray that was laying over top of the dinner table. The steam seeped around the top of the black pot and into the air. The smell of spices and papaya wafted through the area of the kitchen. "He did and he tried." the woman shook her head. She waved one of the pot holders she had in her hand. "He really thought that being on a set of this new and upcoming movie would mean I would, gravel at his feet or something." she went to grab for a white rectangular pot filled with mashed potatoes. Chives, green peppers and garlic laid over top of it the smoothly whipped starchy food. "I mean, who does he think he is?" she placed the dish on the table and threw her hands on her hips. "Denzel?" 

"Ooooo, I love me some Denzel." Suga Mama was walking into the kitchen. She opened the cabinet and pushed a pile of Proud Snacks out the way and grabbed a bag of store brand chips. She closed the cabinet back. "He's handsome AND he can act. MMM! Now that's one successful man right there." she grabbed a round bowl from the dish holder and opened the bag of chips.

"Well, did he even _meet_ Denzel at least?" her friend asked. She leaned herself on the wall of the kitchen.

"No." Trudy was gathering a few plates in her hands. "He barely even got on the set." she let out a single snort. "Though that didn't seem to stop him from bragging." 

Suga Mama rolled the bag up and clipped a holder on it. "Men." she picked up the bowl of chips and walked back over to the cabinet. "Always bragging about things that's not even worth bragging over." she put the half bag of chips back in the cabinet.

"So, what happened next, Trudy?" the woman asked.

"Well I obviously didn't "knock off a few bucks" for him." she set the first plate down. "And of course he starts throwing a little tantrum after that." she set another plate down just a few inches beside it.

"Maybe you should've called _me_ instead. I could've wrote him enough tickets until he got to Papi's age." she pointed a thumb at the elderly grinning man behind her.

The man looked over as he saw Suga Mama sitting back down beside him. She held the bowl up to him. "O tal vez hasta que vea _tu_ edad." (Or maybe until he gets to see _your_ age.) "WoooHAHAHA!!" 

"I may didn't call you, but I _did_ have to call the authorities to help calm down the situation." she set the last plate down on the table. "Buut, everything seemed to go smoothly after that and I had a few more clients after him. And, they were all patient and nowhere near as arrogant as him." 

Her friend scoffed. "Next time, if you ever have a customer like that again, you can always page me personally on the radio."

Trudy gave her an impish smile. "I'll keep that in mind." she pushed in a chair and her eyes had caught sight of her twins with Puff and a proud, motherly smile came to her softened, kind hazel eyes. "Awwww, just look at Bebe and Cece playing with Puff." 

The woman turned around to see both of the twins with their arms around the poodle's neck and hugging him tightly. The poodle had his tongue out as he whimpered out for help. Both the boy and his sister hugging him dearly and rocking slightly side to side as they each tried to hug the poodle more than the other.

Puff let out another desperate yelp as he managed to squeeze his body thinly and through their arms. He landed back on the carpet and felt his legs being grabbed. He extended his claws and dug them into the carpet as he was pulled back. 

Trudy and her friend watched as Bebe and Cece each held a back paw as they pulled Puff away. The poodle's nails making a nail line within the carpet as he was dragged away from behind the couch. 

"They always play so nicely." Trudy said warmly. "Puff is really good with the twins." 

"He sure is." the woman agreed. "And keeps them distracted too." she turned back to Trudy. "And speaking of playing nice. Where's our husbands?"

There was a loud _KABOOM_ bang from across the street.

Trudy's face dropped to utter dissatisfaction and annoyance. "I think that answers your question."

She and the woman ran up to the kitchen window and Trudy pulled the curtain back.

A huge black cloud of smoke was rising from the back of the woman's house.

"Ay nooooo." the whine of her friend's voice sounded both tired and chagrined. "Please don't tell me they're burning down my house again." 

"Looks like it to me."

"Come on, Trudy. Let's go get the hose and try to put the fire out." she ran out the kitchen as Trudy went to retrieve the fire extinguisher from the opposite side of the kitchen. 

The woman ran towards the door right as she heard rushed footsteps running up towards it.

The door was thrown open and Felix and Oscar all but ran into the house.

"Felix!" the woman yelled with her arms crossed.

"Sunset!" the man shrieked.

"¡Qué occurió! What do you and Oscar think you're doing burning down my house again!" 

The stout, chubby man threw his hands up in a placating manner as he shook his head fervently. "We, we didn't burn down your house, mija. There was nooooo fire. Honest." 

She narrowed her eyes at him and her eyes then went to Oscar.

The woman's face went from a vindictive glare to a perplexed look of curiosity. Her head tilted to the side. "Oscar.. what happened to you?" 

The man was essentially a shriveled up, crumbled stick figure. Just a black, near disintegrated, burnt to a crisp line with two thin sticks for legs and two thin black sticks for arms. The sticks not having feet nor hands. 

Huge eyeballs on either side of a thin black line for a face lowered at her. A chagrined look with his burnt thin lips. "Don't ask." 

Trudy came running in with a fire extinguisher, "Okay, I have the fire.." and she stopped upon seeing Felix and her husband standing as a burnt stick figure beside him. "extinguisher.." her eyebrow raised up at her poor husband. "Oscar." she lowered the extinguisher down. "What happened to you?"

He squinted his eyes at her and ash fell from his flaky eyelids. "Like I told your friend here.. 'don't ask'.." he marched pass the two women still sporting perplexed looks. "If anyone needs me I'll be slathering what's left of my skin in lotion." he grumbled.

Sugar Mama leaned her head up to watch Oscar stomp up the stairs on his thin legs as he left a trail of ash with every step. "HAH! It's going to take more than just lotion to help with that." she joked. 

Her son ignored her and marched off into the bedroom and slammed the door behind him. 

The elderly woman looked back at the suave man grinning beside her. "Not everyone's skin can be as smooth as mine." she murmured her own self-compliment. "Isn't that right Papi?" she gently grabbed at his arm and massaged it. 

He looked down at the rough, calloused hand then back up at her. A rather charming, debonair smile still on his face. "Ay, sí. Tan suave como un puercoespín." (Ah, yes. As smooth as a porcupine.) "WoooHA!! WooHAHAHA!!'

  
  


"Felix." his wife said sternly. "I am _not_ going to ask you again. What.happened?"

He looked between the two angered women in front of him. 

"Uh..uh.." he stammered. "Well uh.."

"Oh, just spit it out, Felix. What did you and Oscar do?"

"Uh," he shrugged his shoulders. "nothing. Oscar and I.. was just trying to hook up some new equipment for the home theater." his expression was more of childlike embarrassment than anything. With another pitiful, hopeless shrug he said, "And well.. I guess we're no electricians." 

His wife let out an exasperated growl of a sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Felix, you should've just called _actual_ electricians to do that."

"Sunset, you know how men are. Always trying to do things they know they can't even do themselves. Especially if it's a chance to save even just a dollars worth of repairs." Trudy said bitterly.

"I knoooow, but mija, I've learned my lesson." he turned to Trudy. "And Oscar. We both have." he admitted. "If we hadn't tried doing it ourselves we wouldn't had suffered any injuries." 

The women looked him up and down. 

The man stood there completely unscathed and without a single scratch on him. 

"What happened to you?" Sunset asked. "You look okay to me."

Her husband raised his arms up and clapped his hands twice to activate the clap-on clap-off lights in the living room. 

The lights flickered off and the living room went dark, say for the glowing skeleton in the room. The bones glowing a bright lime-yellow. 

The skull of the skeleton turned to face his wife. "Mine is a bit more internal." he explained as the jawbones of the skull opened and closed with every word. "I think it looks cool, but that doesn't ignore the fact that it hurts really bad." the skull turned to Trudy. "Hey, you think this is permanent?" 

"Uh.... I'm a _veterinarian_ , Felix. You should go to an actual hospital for that."

The jawbones stretched apart from the other as the body of the skeleton jumped up with scared, flailing limbs. "Nooooo!! NOT the hospital!" the bones landed back down with a little wobble. 

"That's it." Sunset clapped her hands twice and the lights came back on. "I'm calling first thing tomorrow morning and making an appointment."

"Noooooo!! Please!" he fell on his knees and crawled on them towards her and grabbed her sides. "Anything but that!" he pleaded.

"You're going, Felix. And that's final."

"But all the nurses and doctors will laugh at me. They're going to be all like," his voice went up an octave higher in a mocking tone. "Ay mijo, you have gotten engordado. Is that wife of yours still with you? ¿Quéééé? She is? Ay, yo no puedo creeeeerlo."

"You're going Felix." she said again, with more force in her voice. "I don't need a nightlight for a husband. I need to be able to sleep at night." 

The man's face drooped down in a solemn, defeated pout. 

"Alright, Trudy. I think I'm going to head in for tonight. Take care of this big baby of mine."

"Don't you always." she grinned.

"I sure do." she looked down at her husband. Her voice switched over to something more stern and demanding. "Oye, levántate, Felix. We're going home." 

The man did as he was told and stood back up slowly. The defeated frown still on his face.

"I'll talk to you later, Trudy. Buenas noches."

"Night, Sunset-"

The three of them heard a car pulling up outside.

"Sounds like my daughter's ride." said Sunset.

"Oooo, I wonder how well their day went with our new guest I was telling you about." Trudy said softly. 

"Well they stayed out pretty late. Must've went pretty well." 

There was a sound of a car door opening.

"Steven!" they could hear Penny's voice faintly from behind the front door. Her voice sounded a touch anxious. Perhaps concerned.

The three of them exchanged inquisitive glances.

Trudy left the group to make her walk to the door. She opened it. 

Steven was running up the pathway with Penny just behind him. 

"Steven?" she saw the boy look up at her and caught a glimpse at his red, teary-eyed face as he ran faster towards her. She took a step back. "Penny?" there was a very slight edge to her voice.

"Mom." her daughter's face was a mix of concern and, even a bit shamefaced.

Steven bolted pass the woman and ran up the stairs without saying a single word.

She whirled her head around to watch the boy disappear beyond the corner of the hallway before snapping her attention back to her daughter. "Penny, what happened?" 

The teen rushed inside the house and stopped on her toes with a near fall as her body moved forward with the momentum. She caught her balance and pushed herself back on her heels. "Uh.." she scratched at the back of her neck with a shrug of her other shoulder. "Well, things didn't really go over smoothly."

"What happened-"

"Did something happen to my daughter?" Sunset said over Trudy. 

"Noo, Mrs. Boulevardez." Penny had to try and keep the sass from her voice though a bit still seemed to intertwined itself within her words. "Your daughter's fine." she stopped herself before she could twist her lips in contempt or so much as give a roll of her eyes. "She's in the house." she couldn't help the low octave of her voice as she mumbled under her breath, "Couldn't get to it fast enough." 

"And she didn't bother coming _here?"_ the woman sounded genuinely surprised.

"Penny." her mother closed the door and stood in front of it. "Just what happened today?" her voice was soft, but the edge was still there.

"Well... there were a lot of things really." several events of the day played in her mind like an old roll of film. "I mean, there were good things and, bad things too. But, mainly a lot of..." she tried to tapdance around the severity of the day. "misunderstandings. And, that didn't really sit well with my friends."

"Not my LaCienega." Sunset said, though her voice sounded unsure. Almost as if asking it as a question. 

"Well... let's just say, there was a lot of "not seeing eye to eye" situations."

The two mothers gave each other concerned and unsettling glances to one another. And as if telepathically, or, perhaps a bit of mother's intuition being brought into the mix, both expressions on their faces dropped slightly to clear-cut, mutual understanding.

Sunset was the first to speak up. "I think I should get going. Looks like I have other things to take care of." the concerned, unsmiling look was still on her face. 

"I'll talk to you later, Sunset." 

"Oye, Papi." Felix called for him. "We're about to head out."

The suave man looked ever dashing with the permanent, complacent grin on his face.

"Uh oh, Papi. Looks like you and your folks are leaving." she leaned over. "How's about a little goodnight suga for yo Suga Mama." she puckered up her lips to his face.

The cool and collected man still with an ever satisfied, pleased smile to his face, looked at her wrinkled, puckered lips just inches away from his. "No gracias. Me gustaría _mantener_ mi comida baja." (No thanks. I would like to _keep_ my food down.) 

The twins were playing tug of war with Puff. Bebe was pulling Puff's arms towards him as Cece pulled the poodle's hind legs towards her. Both toddlers going back and forth as they pulled on the dog. 

Papi came over and gently grabbed the dog and they let go as he pulled the little poodle towards him. The twins watched as he walked away with the two looking back at each other. Bebe held both hands palm up as he gave his sister a shrug of his little shoulders. 

Puff panted happily at the man who'd saved him from the twins. His tail wagged in utter relief and happiness as he was brought back over to the safety of the red couch with his Suga Mama. The woman in question, noticeably with her lips out in a pucker. 

His tail, ears and jaw dropped in unison.

Dread and disgust came over his body as he realized what was about to happen. _Again_.

He yiped and yelped as he tried scrambling out of Papi's hands. 

The senior stood in front of the older woman and leaned the dog over towards her.

The poodle shook his head fervently as his mouth twisted down in utter abhorrence.

He was leaned forward and unwillingly brought forward to the woman's lips in a huge kiss.

Long seconds later and the dog was pulled back from Suga Mama's lips with his tongue out in a grimace and a face tinted a shade of green. "Oooooo wee!!" she clasped her hands as she brought them up to the side of her cheek. "That man sure can kiss."

Papi was already walking out of the door with Sunset and Felix walking in front of him. "Wooohahahahaha!!" 

The front door was closed once more as everyone unknowingly and unbeknownst to them, didn't see Puff as the poodle took out a tube of toothpaste out of his fur and a small toothbrush out the other side. He squeezed out half of the tube and piled it high on the bristles and shoved the brush in his mouth and brushed his mouth vigorously.

"So, Penny." her mother's voice always sounded so gentle and mild. "Let's start this over again." she made her way to the back of the couch and leaned on it. Her hands rested on either side of the top of the fabric. "What exactly happened today?"

Penny walked over as she tapped on her chin. Her elbow rested on the back of her other. "Hmm, how should I put this exactly?" she paced towards her mother as she dropped her hand from her face. "Well, he, sort of had this outburst." 

" 'Outburst' ?" the edge was gone but the concern was still ever present in her tender voice.

Penny paced back towards the door as she threw her hands up casually. "Yeah, I don't know, something about.. diamonds? Or.. jewelry? Um, Gems? Gemstones?" her voice sounded entirely confused and perplexed as the confounded look on her face. "I honestly don't know, but it really, _really_ rubbed him the wrong way."

Her mother watched her as she paced back towards her. "I mean, mom. He was already acting a bit... well, a bit.. you know." 

"No." she said bluntly, yet there was still a softness to her tone. "I _don't_ know Penny."

Penny stopped abruptly and faced her mom. "Like... well, like someone who's been, living away from society or something. Like he's been kept up at home or, has never seen the world before." 

"Now Penny.." she said gingerly.

She couldn't help the sass from earlier to creep more into her voice. "I'm sorry mom, but I've been giving this boy excuses on his.. little behaviors."

Her head tilted to the side. " 'Behaviors' ?"

"Like, weird little things like, being amazed at escalators or, or hugging oversized plushie stuffed lions or gawking at spaceship rides or, not even _knowing_ entirely what jewelry is in the first place." 

"Penny. Just because he acts a certain way towards certain things doesn't make him 'weird'. You know how I feel about using that word." she reminded her. 

"Yeah." Suga Mama cut in. "Nobody can use that word unless it's relating to Oscar. Since the word _royally_ belongs to him." she said in jest.

Trudy cut her eye at her mother-in-law, but said nothing in retort. 

"But mom, that wasn't even it." her voice was not quite a whine as it was a note higher in incredulity. "It was all of that stuff on _top_ of wigging out at the jewelry store. Like, he just started panicking and freaking out. It was crazy!"

"Now wait just a second here young lady." her mother folded her arms. "I think you need to watch how you're talking about our guest."

"But mom, home.boy was spazzin'. _Big_ time. He was really. going. off in there." 

"Mm, sounds to me like you may have to do a little background search on that kid." Suga Mama remarked.

There was another glance over at the woman, though Trudy, once again, hadn't resorted in saying anything to the elderly woman. Her attention was back on her daughter. "Look, honey." her voice was slow and melodic. She leaned off the couch and made a slow amble towards her daughter. "I can understand that he may have.. _alarmed_ you and your friends, but maybe you should try seeing it from _his_ point of view. Maybe going to that store reminded him of something that's negative in his life or have caused a few unpleasant thoughts." 

Penny's expression was still anything but sure.

Her mother counteracted the look with a gentle smile of her own. "He seems like a very sensitive young man and we don't know his personal life."

Penny stopped herself from letting out a sigh. "I know mom, but.. you weren't there. And then throughout the car ride, LaCienega and Dijonay were both throwing little jabs at him. And, he just, _sat_ there getting all red in the face as he buried his face in his hands." 

"I keep telling you to ditch those no good friends." Suga Mama cut in once again. "Especially that Dijon Mustard girl. Never liked her, never will."

"I tried sticking up for him, but I could tell that what they were saying was really getting to him."

"Well, Penny. As long as _you_ also weren't the one that was picking on him."

"Noo, I told you. I was the one who was sticking up for him."

"Good head on that girl's shoulders." Suga Mama had to cut in again with a compliment. Though her face was still facing the t.v in front of her.

"Your friends may not be as understanding as you want them to be, especially with our new guest who's, more or less from a completely different lifestyle, but you should still be patient with him. It may be that he has a bit of.. well, I hesitate to say the word "issues" but-" 

"Noo, no Trudy. That's what he has. Issues, problems, personal troubles that has nothing to do with us." Suga Mama commented. 

Trudy ignored her. "Point is, honey. He may have some.. personal situations or, worries in his life that he needs to work out."

Penny took in her mother's words and tried to take them to heart. She'd been giving him chances and trying not to let his.. odd behavior get in the way of their fun. So maybe she should continue giving him these chances and trying to see things his way as her mother suggested. 

Though all in all, at the same time, she _did_ have fun. 

And, the odd, weird actions of him being giddy as he cheesed on the elevator and him hugging the lion _had_ been, perhaps, a _bit_ cute.

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I'll tell you what. Let's just give him a bit of time to unwind. In the meantime, you can help me set up the rest of dinner."

She didn't hesitate to answer. Her mother had ended the conversation and that'd been the sweet end of it. "Yes ma'am.."

"Thanks honey. Now go wash your hands and help bring the rest of the food to the table."

Suga Mama was walking up to the woman as Penny walked away from them. "Trudy." the woman turned around. "I'm leaving early." she raised a nauseated looking Puff up in her hands with his tongue still sticking out. He burped and let out a whining groan. "Puff lookin' a bit sick. I think it was that meatloaf I gave him." she tucked the dog under her arm. "I'm heading home. Let him get his rest." 

"Okay. Night Suga Mama." 

"Night Trudy." she turned around and headed for the door. "Come on Puff. Time for Suga Mama to make her homemade chowder." the dog turned green in the face and held his mouth with his paws. He shook his head at the offer. "That'll fix you right up." she opened the door and closed it behind her.

  
  


It'd taken just ten minutes to properly set up the table for dinner. 

Trudy was putting Cece in her highchair next to her brother who was drinking from his bottle. "Penny, could you go see if Steven would like to join us for dinner?" 

"Yes, mama." she placed the tea towel over the small handle of the cabinet of the sink and left out the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~

  
  


_How did I let it get like this.._

_How did I let this happen.._

Steven was sitting on the floor and at the foot of the bed. 

He'd been in that spot ever since he ran into the room.

And now he was all alone in a house that wasn't his, in a city that he didn't grow up in and over twenty six hundred miles away from his friends.. and from his family who he missed so dearly. 

What's more, he'd already messed up in a place he hadn't even been in for two whole days yet. 

And, there was nothing he could do about it.

_I ruined everything.._

He brooded.

_Maybe I should just leave.._

Fresh teardrops burned along the lids of his eyes as they slid down his face to meet the streaks of old tears. 

_They're probably wondering what's wrong with me.._

_They.. probably_ think _that something is wrong with me_.

Within the sleeves of his jacket, he looked between them and at a mirror that'd been designed into the closet door. 

At his angle he could see the pink glow of his weeping face between his arms as he laid his elbows on his things.

 _Something_ is _wrong with me.._

_Just look at me.._

His eyes narrowed sadly at the reflection. 

_I used to be the one who mended things and people together.._

_Now all I do is mess things up.._

_Everything I touch now I destroy.._

_Her friends were right. I'm just 'a weird, creepy boy who they have to be careful around.. Lest I have another meltdown or another fit or... attack them'.._

_And Nubia was right. I_ am _just a freak of nature._

_She saw right through me.._

_They can_ all _see right through me.._

_For who I_ truly _am.._

__

__

He felt one lone dark pink claw form from a nail of one of his clenched hands-

There was a knock at the door and he quickly snapped his attention towards the light brown paneled wooden interior.

"Steven?"

"I, uh- I don'thaveanyclotheson." he was quick to blurt out.

"Oh, it's cool." there was light forced "airy" tone to her voice. "I don't have to come in." the small glimpse of her shadow from underneath the crack of the door shifted back slightly and the floor creak as she did. "We just wanted to know if you wanted to come down for dinner?" then she added as if to jokingly entice him and lighten the mood. "And, don't worry. Everything is all vegan. My mother double and triple checked all of the ingredients."

The deep, desolate frown was his silent answer as he stared hopelessly at the door.

Apprehension and unease both dipped into the already consternation and stress filled folds of his mind.

Going to dinner would only further things into tension and possible ruination. 

He could taste the salt of his tears as they tucked underneath his lips. He licked them and swallowed the grief-stricken feeling down hard. "I.. I'm not really hungry.." his voice wavered dryly. 

"Are.. you sure? I mean, if you're worrying about everyone else, they're gone. It's just you, me and my family. Even Suga Mama left already."

'Worry' wasn't close to the word. If anything, consternation and trepidation within his own self towards other people was closer to how he was feeling.

And it wasn't just the others. It was them as well. But, only because of _his self_. 

How could he possibly face them? Knowing how he acted today? And, looking like this? 

"It's.. not that.." was all he said. His lips quavered as he buried his face back into his arms as he kept them laying against his lap. 

"Still thinking about today, huh?" the airiness had left her voice and she sounded more casual with a sense of understanding in her tone.

Steven hadn't answered her.

The floor creaked again as she shifted behind the door. "Look, Steven?" a slight pause was placed between them before she found her words again and in a breezy, gentle tone she said, "I hope that today wasn't a total bust. I really had fun and I'm sure my friends did too, despite of.. you know, what they were saying in the car." she stopped to give the boy a chance to talk. After moments without hearing a word, she continued on, "I just hope that you won't think too much of what happened today. We didn't know anything about your.. little enmity towards diamonds or, your feelings towards gemstones." the tone shifted in her voice and it was more collected and relaxed. "And, there are like, toooons of people who get mad or embarrassed or whatever. You're not the only one who's freaked out over something. Heck, my dad freaks out _all_ the time." 

_But.. he and everyone else aren't capable of turning into this.. horrific dragon beast that could essentially demolish a whole city in minutes when they 'freak out'.._

".. at one day, we'll be thinking back on this day and laughing about it." 

_I doubt it.._

_There will never be anything remotely funny when thinking back on this.._

_I wouldn't want ever to think back on this day.._

".. ell I hope you're okay in there and-"

He wasn't, but the more she tried to lighten the mood, the more of this guilt he felt more in his chest. She was trying. Like all of the other times, but.. at this moment he just wanted to be by himself, despite of it possibly not being the best method for him. 

".. nd that you'll be fine. Because, like I said before, you're still pretty cool with me. Just don't want you to think you messed anything up or anything." 

A very short reassurance that seemed to blow over him as quick as it came and the light of hope was gone in a second. 

She said he didn't ruin anything even though he thought he did. But, what if she was only saying that?

"I'm..." he sighed. "Everything's fine, Penny.." 

"You sure?"

He tried holding back his tears though they still fell from his lashes and dropped on the material of his jeans. "Yeah, I'm.. I'm just tired." another single teardrop fell to his pants. He sniffled and wiped a teardrop that'd threatened to fall from the tip of his nose on his sleeve. 

"Okay then." she said. "Well, if you need us or, change your mind" his heart felt like it'd stopped before it began racing fast in his chest. "and want to join us for dinner, you know where to find us."

He let out a quiet sob that he hoped she didn't hear. "Y, yeah.. thanks.." 

"Night, Steven."

".. Night.." 

The footsteps had stayed behind the door for a few moments as if the teen was contemplating, before he heard the light sound of her feet over the creak of the floorboards as she began walking away. 

And now, he was officially alone with just him.. and his thoughts.. 

  
  


Penny was walking into the kitchen.

Her father, now looking completely unscathed as if he wasn't essentially a stick of charcoal just earlier, was sitting down at the table with his arms folded. His mouth tight over the impatient features of his face. 

Her mother was sitting down with him and with a look contrasting to his with her soft look of wonder. She turned slightly in her chair. "What did he say, Penny?" 

She walked over to the table. "He said he's pretty tired." 

She hummed and nodded gingerly. "I see." she said softly.

"Heh, tired of what exactly?" her dad grumbled. "The city tiring him out already? Yeah, I don't buy it."

"Well, Oscar." her voice was soft but they could hear the gentleness already leaving her tone. "Sometimes people get tired. The boy has been travelling around, so all of that is probably catching up to him." the scapegoat was quick to be put in action. The woman quick to put the blame on something else. "He's only just a teenager. Traveling about the city can do that to anyone his age."

"Well _maybe_ he should take his tail and travel _home._ " he retorted before briskly grumbling out, "He can get aaall the sleep he wants there." 

"Oscar, would please just quit it with this pointless behavior of yours? We don't know what's going on in that boy's life and we don't need to pry into it. He doesn't need to tell us and so long as he's sleeping under this household, we should treat him with respect." she waved a finger at him. "He doesn't need anymore stress in his life."

" 'Stress'?" he leaned over and put an elbow on the table. "Trudy, that boy's like thirteen. What he know about stress? Does he pay bills? Worry about mortgage? Health insurance? Pay raises? Taking care of a family? High blood pressure?" his lips twisted up in a pout. "I can guarantee, that that boy is just some whiny little spoiled brat who probably just left because he couldn't, get the latest sneakers or, couldn't go out to some sweaty, rump shaker party." 

"Ooooor, _maybe_ it's something much more than that Oscar." her eyes lowered in vexation. "Again, we do not _know_ , nor do we need to if he doesn't want to tell us." 

Oscar leaned back in his chair with his arms folded once more. "Whatever, Trudy." he grumbled. "I still ain't buying that boy's little "oh woe is me" shtick. He hiding something and I just know it."

"There's nothing to buy, Oscar. Okay? Now you just leave that boy alone and let him live in this house in peace." she shifted herself forward as she scooted her chair up to the table.

"If he ever slips up, he's going to be living _out_ the house in pie _.ces."_

His wife turned sharply to him with a glare to her eyes and a snarl to her lips. 

A heel of a size seven foot was jammed down on his toes and he hollered out loudly. 

Bebe and Cece giggled and cheered at their dad's cry of pain. 

Trudy let the glare linger on her husband for a few long moments as he rubbed his holey socked foot. He whimpered as a lone line of a teardrop spread across his eyelid.

She looked away from him and to her daughter. "He seems like a sweet guy who just has a bit of troubles. And, that's okay." she assured her. "I think what he need is, just a little time. Just a little.." she thought. "Something else instead." she suggested. "Maybe something that he needs, something that can help ease his self into the city." there was a very small, tender smile. "But right now, he just needs a little time." 

Penny nodded. "Yeah.. yeah I'll give him that." she looked from her mother's smiling face and looked pass the kitchen to see just a bit of the steps. Her mind wondering and, worrying about the odd boy that came into their life to live with them. 

  
  


Ruminating.. brooding..

The broken boy only sat there still, as if he was one of the pieces of furniture in the room. 

His head now held between his claws on either side of his head as his elbows dug deep into his thighs. 

His eyes never left the pink glowing reflection in the glass on the other side of the room.

He couldn't look away.

He couldn't _run_ away.

This was who he was.

And he would always be this.

This _was_ him.. 

He blinked his eyes slowly as more tears left them to fall across his cheeks.

He needed help.

Maybe the city wasn't the best option.

Or even downloading the app and being there in the first place..

A chime rung out in his pocket and at first, he didn't move as he felt his phone vibrate twice. 

Moments later and another sleeve was brought to his face as he wiped across his nose and his cheek.

He leaned up stiffly and lowered one leg down to get to the phone in his pocket. He slid the device from his jeans and held the screen up to his face.

**Just a friendly reminder for your therapy session tomorrow with Dr. Smith at 10 o'clock a.m.**

He'd almost forgotten.

He placed the device back in his pocket and slid his leg back up to place his elbow back on his thigh.

His hour session with his therapist..

If he had to honestly admit, he wasn't quite looking forward to it this time..

He felt drained just thinking about it.

And of course he would need to discuss what'd happened today. Maybe even discuss his self turning pink when talking to Connie and.. almost turning fully pink when he first met the Prouds..

He leaned back on the side of the bed and felt the metal bar and the mattress press against his back.

He had to take this head on. 

He had to confront his problems.

Both new _and_ old. 

And, perhaps only the beginning of the session would be the hardest until they would get the ball rolling.

Or, perhaps the whole session would be like pulling teeth or.. trying to swim through molasses or worse, trying to breath in space.

Which was impossible.

Or, maybe.. just maybe.. the hour long talk would make him feel just a bit better. Make him feel more adjusted and give him that spark of hope until his next following session.

Or worse.. and the therapy session might leave him with a stinging feeling in his body. Maybe he would feel more vulnerable or subdued with his self having opened up to more of his trauma. It's possible he would be left feeling opened the rest of the day and feeling more exposed and easily broken into. 

He looked down at the claws on either thumb as his hands laid grasping at his knees.

Anything could happen with his session and each time, it seemed to not go through the extremes despite of his apprehensive mind telling him that it would.

This session should be no different.

He would try his best to use his words and to speak honestly about his feelings as well as take in the words of his therapist.

The frown on his face tightened as he looked across the pink scales just underneath his thumb.

And the pessimistic thoughts reared its head once more as it always does before a session.

_Maybe.. this will be the session that takes a bad turn.._

_Maybe things will blow out of proportion this time.._

His head lowered down to his slumped shoulders as apart of that negative mind continued to utter words that would make him more doubtful.

He couldn't look away from his pink, glowing hands with claws that dug at the fabric of his denim jeans.

And apart of his mind wondered if he should have his video call some place that _didn't_ have a roof that could potentially get damaged in the process of a giant Gem human hybrid's outburst. 

Like, being outside in a hopefully secluded area.

Yes, that would be better. Just in case something were to happen.. 


	15. Morning of the therapy session

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Preeeetty short two chapters/ nothing too much going on :0 But I felt pretty bad not posting anything since like, what, November? XP So I wanted to post _something_.
> 
> Hope y'all will still enjoy =D 🤷

"TRUDYYYYYY!!!!"

"Oscar, _pleaase_ , can you keep your voice down!" his wife said sternly. "I know he's tired of hearing your voice down the hall every morning!" 

There was an abrupt few seconds of silence before a forced whine, "TRUDYYYYYY!!!!!!" 

"OSCAR!!" 

Steven kept his head underneath of the pillow. A somber look burdened his tired face. 

"TRUDYYYYY!!! WHERE'S THE KEYS!!" 

"TEEHEE!! DADDY'S KEYS!! DADDY'S KEYS!!" Cece and Bebe giggled as their little feet were heard sprinting down the hall. 

"T, TRUDY!! GET YO KIDS!!" his footsteps were heard stomping down the hall before a, "Noooo, nononono!!" 

"WEEEEE!!!!"

"Nooo, not the toilet!! Not the toilet!!- NOOOOHOOO!!!!" 

There was a sound of a toilet flushing.

"Flushy!!" Bebe giggled.

"Keys go bye-bye~" Cece added. 

"AAAAAHH!! MY CAR KEYS!!" footsteps were heard stomping back down the hall. "TRUDYYYYYYYYY!!!!" her husband whined. 

"Oscar, stop that whining! You're worse than the twins with all of that crying!"

"But, but your kids," whimpered. "your kids then flushed my car keys down the toilet again. And I just paid for all of those spare keys too." he whined. "You know paying for colorful ones are extra."

 _"That's_ why I keep telling you, Oscar: Stop. placing. the keys. where the twins. can get to them." 

The toddlers in question giggled as they ran back out of the bathroom and somewhere down the hall as they passed his room.

Trudy sighed. "Look, I'll just give you my keys for today. You can drop me off at work and the twins off at daycare. Then you can pick us back up after work." 

"Oh, great." the bratty whine was still present in his voice. "Now I gotta pay for more keys again and now I have to make extra trips coming back from work."

"Ex _cuse_ me, but _you're_ the one who let your keys get flushed. So NOW you're going to pick YOUR kids and YOUR wife up." 

"Man.." her husband began whining and mumbling under his breath.

"With _out_ any whiny back talk." she said bluntly. 

Steven sighed with a tightly closed mouth. The hot air left his nostrils and seeped within the small, tight area under the pillow and the heat was pushed back into his face.

He hadn't been awoken by their loud mouthed talking up and down the hall. In actuality, he hadn't been able to sleep for hours and he'd been tossing and turning throughout the night without proper rest. 

"TRUDYYYYY!!" 

"What.. NOW, Oscar! You NEED to keep your voice DOWN and let our guest get his rest! This morning is DEFINITELY not the morning to be bothering him with your loud yelling and whining!"

Nevertheless, he was still just as miffed and just as annoyed to be hearing them yelling and screaming.

It made everything that much more hard to fall back to sleep on. Or, at least _try_ to fall back to sleep.

Steven kept his arm pressed tightly over the pillow. His face sandwiched between the cotton pillowcase and the warm bedsheet. 

He kept his eyes clenched tightly, though the light rays from the sun still seemed to managed to paint a very faint light across the skin of his eyelids. 

He dipped his head farther down towards the top folds of the blankets across his shoulders and pressed his fingers down on the edge of the pillowcase to shield more of the rays away from his eyes.

He felt small.

With everything that had happened yesterday and without anyone to give him that reassurance or that skin to skin contact from a warm embrace.. he felt small and alone.

The warm blankets weren't that warm or comforting like before, the once lovely scent of the detergent on the fabric of the pillowcase and the blankets were now messing with his sinuses and the room, even without looking at it, seemed to stretch out far and wide. 

It was only him and the unfamiliar mattress he was laying on.

He really wasn't looking forward to his therapy session, but like other things in the world, this one felt inevitable.

He lay there quietly and breathed in slowly and deeply.

He listened to the parents argue back and forth and the twins as they laughed and cheered outside of his door.

The commotion or, _racket,_ as his brain was calling it at the moment, had eventually left once _they_ had left. 

The sweet, dull silence was comforting to him.

The house seemed empty and he felt as though he wouldn't be able to make a fool of himself or hurt anyone or anything in the vicinity.

He was now, by himself.

Though, he still didn't move.

No energy, no thought of wanting to leave the tiny square edged borders that was the bed.

His bladder could wait and he pulled his knees up towards his chest in a near fetal position.

And hunger was near inexistent. 

He would lay there for as long as he could. 

Perhaps, even wither away..-

There was a sound of a door opening and instantly, he remembered about their daughter Penny still being in the house. 

The door closed gently and moments later, he heard the sound of walking towards his room.

He held his breath as if that would deter her away or prevent a potential knock at the door. 

His skin itched slightly down his spine and he swallowed.

He clenched his eyes tighter and felt his teeth grit together in apprehension. His empty stomach twisted and he squeezed his legs together.

He waited.

The gears of his mind raced and every bit of hope and wishing was put to Penny not knocking or so much as calling his name from the other side of the door.

He lay there waiting as the footsteps never left.

His lungs were slowly beginning to signal him to let in a breath.

He didn't. 

He could practically feel and sense her raising her hand up slowly.. his brain imagining the knuckles of her hand hesitatingly going towards the door as she listened closely to any telltale signs that he was awake. A creak of the bed, a thumb tapping and clicking on the keys on the screen of a phone, light footsteps across the carpet, rustling inside of a bag, anything. 

He tensed up more.. hoping.. 

He waited cautiously.

Then, he heard the footsteps start to recede back from the door and stop once again, before walking down the hall.

He let out his breath in a tired sigh.

Now a part of him was wanting her to come back. 

Perhaps talking to her would've made his mind feel more at ease.. 

He heard the front door open and close.

He loosened his body only slightly. His mind still wishing they had talked.

Now he was officially alone in the big, now empty house.

He laid there in bed as the thoughts of yesterday replayed in his mind.

~~~~~

_"Seriously man. What, the heck is your problem?"_

_"You're my problem!" he pointed._

~~~~~

_"You people are putting gemstones inside of the jewelry!" he yelled._

_"Uh? Yes. Yes we are, Sir-"_

_"Why! How! A-" he grabbed at his hair and ran his fingers down his curls before throwing his clenched hands back down to his sides. He ignored them and pivoted around to the display case and began snatching each and every piece of jewelry off of the shelves._

_"Hey! What are you doing!"_

_"Steven." Penny looked at him wide eyed and mouth agaped._

_The second associate brought a walkie up to her mouth. "I think we have someone trying to steal the jewelry. Close the gates."_

~~~~~

_"Just.. leave me alone!" he covered the gemstones with his arm to shield them away. "Leave all of us alone!"_

_"Steven, he's not doing anything to us." said Penny._

_"You must unhand those jewels. You will not be getting out of here otherwise."_

~~~~~

_"You poofed them!" he accused. "And you probably shattered some, didn't you!" his voice wavered over his dry throat._

~~~~~

_"I want to know!" he stomped his foot, leaving a divet within the floor underneath of the dark carpet. The cracked wood going unnoticed under the thick rug._

~~~~~

_"I, I'm not trying to-" he clenched his eyes again as he felt the jewels shrink under his growing hands. "I, just don't want them to get hurt."_

_"Who's getting hurt, Sir?" the man genuinely asked._

_Steven ignored him. "I need to take them out." he whispered to his self in a hushed, frantic voice. "They need to reform. They need to be free." he took his arm away from the pieces of jewelry._

~~~~~

_These are PRECIOUS lives!" he looked back down at the gemstone as a tear slid from the corner of his eye._

_"They're just mere gems and rocks. Not living things." he said candidly. "Just, colorful little stones."_

_He sniveled at the gemstone in his palm. "No, they're not."_

~~~~~

_It was stupid of me to act like that." he all but blurted out coarsely. The guilt gripping at him. "I always act so stupid.."_

_"Hey, man. It's cool. So you got some gemstones mixed up. Happens to the best of us."_

_"You don't understand.."_

_"What, whatchu mean?"_

_"I'm.. always messing stuff up.." he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes._

~~~~~

_No!" he backpedaled away and crashed into a display case and fell to the ground. He grabbed at his stomach. "You.. get away from me!" he finally found his breath as it quickened._

~~~~~

A tear tried to leave near the corners of his tightly closed eyes.

_Maybe I should leave._

He made a fool of himself.

But that was far from the worse of it.

He could've put everyone in danger. He could've destroyed the store and half of the mall, if not all of it..

Once again, he had let his own emotions get the best of him. Everything he'd learned in therapy, all of those months out on the road and "getting better". All of that had essentially crumbled into nothing. 

All of that hard work he thought he was doing.

All of his progress he thought he was making. 

All of that had essentially been wasted.

Steven laid under the thick covers that seemed more heavy than usual. The air of his breath trapped under the blankets feeling hotter against his face, his neck and his bare arms.

He laid there.

Five minutes passed.

He'd felt the dry streaks of his tears as he stifled a yawn.

Ten minutes passed.

Just a small part at the middle of his neck was beginning to ache from the fetal position he'd held for so long. 

He ignored the pang of hurt.

He laid there on the now sinking feeling of the mattress as he felt his self sink farther and farther into the bed. That sinking feeling plaguing his mind as it had long before he had his.. meltdown with the Gems and Connie and his dad. The feeling he had when he went through his first few therapy sessions as well.

Which he'd reminded his self of just now.

He sighed.

Despite of how he was feeling, he will need to get up soon and get ready for his talk with Dr. Smith.

And yet, that still wasn't enough to move his limbs even in the slightest.

Twenty minutes passed.. and he continued to lay under the covers of the bed, in a futile attempt to shield his self, to make his self vanish from the world around him. 


	16. That first step

Lukewarm water swished idly around in his mouth. He let the water continue to run in the sink. If he was in his right frame of mind, he would've turned the sink off as not to be wasteful. However, his mind wasn't on the rushing water. The sound of it practically simmered to background noise, like the low moan of an air conditioner vent or rain pelting on a glass surface. 

Steven moved the water around in his mouth as he stared blankly at the weary boy in the bathroom mirror.

He'd finally gotten up when his bladder had at last reached its limits, preventing him from ignoring his own human bodily functions that were inevitable.

That was what'd made him get up from the hot, almost suffocating confines that were his blanket.

He'd gathered what he needed to prepare himself for the long day ahead and he walked out of the room to the ever stretching hallway that seemed endless.

Now he kept in the bathroom. Everything that would've taken a short amount of time now taken twice or thrice as long. Using the bathroom, taking a "quick" shower, putting on his clothes and now he was finally brushing his teeth, something he probably should've done after using the bathroom.. 

He swished the water once more in his mouth as he tasted the faint coating of mint on his taste buds.

He shouldn't be taking this long. His session was in ten minutes and he wouldn't want to rush to find a decent spot for his self to sit.

Steven leaned over and spat out the water. The light mist of the diluted toothpaste spiraling down with the clean rushing water and vanishing down the stopper and down the drain.

Slowly, he raised his arm up and twisted the knob of the sink. The material squeaked under the rotation as he turned the knob fully to a stop. The water pressure lowered as the cold water had ceased. Immediately, steam from the now hot water began to seep up into the air. He moved his arm to the other side and turned the second squeaky knob until it stopped. Several water droplets dropped from the under face of the faucet. 

Steven looked at himself in the mirror once more. His hair was well combed, his face was clean and he was full dressed for the day. What he felt in the inside had been the opposite and he wasn't one hundred percent prepared to talk to his therapist. 

It could've been in his mind and, it could've been the lighting of the old bathroom lights hidden behind the ought shield above the cabinet, but to him he seemed to be looking rather pink.

How could he see his therapist like this?

What if things get blown out of proportion? 

Sure, his therapist _is_ a therapist and Steven knew that the older gentleman had over four decades of counseling people from all ages and all walks of life and trauma, but, he couldn't help but worry if this therapy session or if one in the future may be too much for even the man with the doctorate to handle.

Perhaps it would be rather mean of him to say, or even unthoughtful or inconsiderate and out of character for him to think this, but what if his trauma alone was worse than other people's his therapist had counseled? He was having an identity crises, he was having problems on top of problems being put on him due to his own mother's doings, he had to pursue his own path to stop the Diamonds as he also tried to find the cure for the Corrupted Gems, he'd had a brush with death multiple times during missions, with one near death situation that had actually been a missing piece to saving humanity as a whole and stopping the forces. Then, helping my dismantle empires after empires for two years, then having to go through more near death experiences with Spinel and finally, having to face something that seemed like a tougher pill to swallow, a tougher fight to undergo and that was his own fight he had within his own self, crippling his own mentality as every piece of trauma had finally caught up to him. 

That was a huge truck to offload with his therapist and even months later, the gentleman hadn't heard nearly all that he'd been through. He'd known the main parts of his life, the ones that were heavily ingrained in his mind and that plagued his thoughts but, he was still far from hearing his whole story. His story was still, steadily being told to the man. 

Maybe one day his therapist would finally have enough and he would be stuck not truly overcoming his trauma.

This, now he knew, was his pessimistic mind talking. Something his therapist had pointed out to him, that this mindset was something that was also stemming from his PTSD.

There was quite a lot with this stress disorder and as he continued to learn about it with his therapist, the more he learned that, there was a lot he _didn't_ know and that there was much to learn from what he'd been diagnosed with. 

So, now that he knew that this was something stemming from that, he could try to properly shift his mind away from those particular thoughts, from those particular feelings. 

That was something much easier said than done.

Regardless, he knew he had to try and implement what he'd learned to shift his mind to something more positive. There were times when those activities and coping strategies worked and other times where it didn't. 

Another thing, was that in a way, he _was_ also still aware that he shouldn't think like this and that he would be in a safe environment with a therapist that he trusted.

This was someone who didn't judge him, who didn't rush him. This was someone who listened and someone who gave him pointers and helped him step by step in breaking down what he'd been through and helping him build everything from the ground and back up to make that new, sturdy foundation that he once had when he was younger.

His therapist was that extra block, that extra help he needed in helping his own self to get better and to improve.

 _Another_ thing, was that he had to face these obstacles and these problems face on despite of how he felt in the past during his therapies and despite of how he was feeling now.

If this therapy was like any of the others, then he would come out feeling better. Sore at times, yes, but better overall.

Steven watched as his face eased itself of the tight muscles under his skin. The look on his face looking more tired than agitated. Maybe even a touch sorrowful under his eyes but there was still this glint of determination in them. There was still that light of hope he could see faintly shining in his pupils. 

This was it. This was his moment.

He would be going face to face with what'd happened yesterday as he talked to his therapist about it.

He forced his self a nod in front of the mirror.

Right.

He was going to try and do this.

This would go well or not so well, but he wouldn't know until he sat down and talked with his therapist.

The first step he had to do was open the door and take that first step out.

Steven looked his self over in the mirror and looked from his reflection to the doorknob.

"First step:" he whispered to his self and he was nearly taken aback at the gruff in his tired voice. "walk out of the bathroom."

He turned back and picked up his toiletries and his clothes from the counter of the sink and grabbed the doorknob. He turned it and took his first step out of the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all lovely peeps are enjoying the fic thus far 😚
> 
> As I've said before, I have a lot of ideas that I can't wait to put in here. I even know how I want to end the story and everything. 😉 I just gotta stop playing around and stop being lazy and actually write out the story xP


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